Cornhole: Rules, Boards, Bags, Scoring & How to Play
Everything you need to know about cornhole. Learn the official rules, board dimensions, scoring, throwing distance, bag specifications, game setup, strategies, and more.
Everything You Need to Know About Cornhole
Eight core guides cover the whole game — from the official rulebook and regulation board specs to bag construction, shot selection and tournament play. Start wherever your question is.
Cornhole Rules
Learn how to play cornhole, including official rules, fouls, scoring and gameplay.
Read guideCornhole Board Dimensions
Discover the official cornhole board size, height, angle and construction specifications.
Read guideCornhole Scoring
Understand how points are awarded, how cancellation scoring works and how to win a game.
Read guideCornhole Bags
Learn about cornhole bag size, weight, materials, fillings and official specifications.
Read guideCornhole Boards
Everything about board types, materials, sizes, construction and choosing the right boards.
Read guideCornhole Distance
Find out exactly how far apart cornhole boards should be placed for regulation play.
Read guideHow to Play Cornhole
Learn the game step by step, from setting up the court to turn order, tips and common mistakes.
Read guideCornhole Tournament Rules
Learn about tournament formats, competition rules and how competitive cornhole works.
Read guideWhat Is Cornhole?
Cornhole is an American backyard game in which players take turns throwing bags at a raised wooden board with a hole near the top. It is also known as bean bag toss, and it is played everywhere from tailgates and family barbecues to sanctioned national tournaments.
A standard set includes two cornhole boards and eight cornhole bags — four per side. The boards face each other down a lane, and players stand beside one board while throwing bags at the other. Landing a bag on the board surface counts, and sending a bag through the hole counts for more.
Cornhole can be played as singles, with one player per side, or as doubles, with partners split between the two boards. Recreational cornhole is relaxed about distance and equipment, while competitive cornhole follows strict specifications for board size, bag weight and throwing distance. The scoring, the setup and the throwing motion stay the same — only the precision changes.
How to Play Cornhole
A full cornhole game takes five steps: set up the court, decide who throws first, alternate your throws, score the frame, and repeat until a team reaches the winning score. Here is the whole sequence.
1.Set Up the Boards
Place the two cornhole boards on flat ground, facing each other, with the holes aligned down the center of the lane. For regulation play the front edges sit 27 feet apart. Backyard and youth games often shorten that to 21 or 24 feet. Give each side an open pitcher's box beside the board so players have room to step and follow through.
2.Determine Who Goes First
Flip a coin, or let the team that scored in the previous frame throw first. The team that wins the toss takes the first throw of the opening frame, and honors pass to whichever team scored last for every frame after that.
3.Throw the Bags
Players alternate throws, one bag at a time, until all eight bags have been pitched. Stay inside the pitcher's box and behind the front edge of your board — stepping past it is a foul, and the bag is removed. Every throw must be underhand, and each player throws all four of their bags from the same side of the board.
4.Score the Round
Once all eight bags are thrown, the frame is scored. A bag through the hole is worth 3 points, a bag resting on the board is worth 1 point, and anything on the ground scores nothing. Cornhole uses cancellation scoring, so only the difference between the two teams counts toward the total.
5.Continue Until the Game Is Won
Collect the bags, switch throwing direction if you are playing singles, and start the next frame. The first team to reach 21 points at the end of a completed frame wins the game.
Cornhole Board Dimensions & Setup
A regulation cornhole board is a 4-by-2-foot slab with a 6-inch hole, raised 12 inches at the back and 3 to 4 inches at the front. Two of them, set 27 feet apart, make a regulation court.
| Specification | Regulation Size |
|---|---|
| Board length | 48 in (47.5–48 in) |
| Board width | 24 in (23.5–24 in) |
| Hole diameter | 6 in |
| Front height | 3–4 in |
| Back height | 12 in |
| Board distance | 27 ft |
How Does Cornhole Scoring Work?
Two values, one subtraction. Bags on the board are worth a point, bags in the hole are worth three, and at the end of every frame the lower total cancels out the higher one.
1 Point
A bag that lands on the board surface and is still there when the frame ends — a "woody".
3 Points
A bag that goes through the hole at any point during the frame — a "cornhole".
Cancellation scoring
Both teams total their points for the frame. The smaller total is subtracted from the larger one, and only the team with the higher total scores — for the difference alone. That means a frame can end with no points awarded at all.
Reaching the winning score
Scores are tallied after each frame, never mid-frame. The first team to reach 21 points at the end of a completed frame wins. Bags that hit the ground before landing on the board are dead and score nothing.
Team A scores 4 points and Team B scores 2 points. Team A receives 2 points for the frame.
Team B's 2 points cancel out 2 of Team A's 4 — the difference is what goes on the scoreboard.
Cornhole Equipment
Two boards, eight bags, and a short list of accessories that make play easier. Here is what each piece has to do.
Cornhole Boards
- Regulation boards: 48 × 24 inches, 12-inch back height
- Materials: birch or Baltic plywood tops, pine or aluminum frames
- Finish and slide: sealed, sanded and waxed playing surfaces
- Portable boards with folding legs and handles for travel
Cornhole Bags
- Size and weight: 6 × 6 inches, 15.5–16.5 ounces
- Material: duck cloth, synthetic suede or carpet-style fabrics
- Resin filling instead of corn for consistent play in any weather
- Dual-sided bags pairing a slick side with a sticky side
Cornhole Accessories
- Scoreboards and score-keeping caddies
- Carrying cases, board bags and lane tapes
- LED hole and edge lights for night play
- Board covers, wax, brushes and surface conditioners
Cornhole Tips & Strategy
Consistency beats power in cornhole. A repeatable underhand release, a flat bag rotation and a clear target on the board will win more frames than a spectacular shot. Once your throw is reliable, shot selection becomes the real game — knowing when to slide a bag into the hole, when to block, and when to push an opponent's bag off the board.
Competitive Cornhole
Cornhole stopped being only a backyard game a long time ago. Organized tournaments run year-round, from local bar leagues to televised national events with ranked players and cash prizes.
Competition is played in singles and doubles brackets, usually with pool play feeding into a single- or double-elimination format. Matches follow the same 21-point cancellation scoring as casual play, but with strict enforcement of foul lines, throwing order and time between throws.
Professional cornhole adds another layer: certified boards, weighed and measured bags, seeded rankings and points that carry across a season. Players who compete at that level tend to own several bag sets tuned for different surfaces and speeds.
New to Cornhole?
Start Here.
Six short guides that answer the questions every new player asks first — how the game works, how far apart the boards go, and how the points actually add up.
Cornhole Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the eight questions cornhole players search for most, each linking through to the full guide.
What are the official cornhole board dimensions?
A regulation cornhole board measures 48 inches long by 24 inches wide, with a 6-inch hole centered 9 inches from the top edge. The front sits 3 to 4 inches off the ground and the back sits 12 inches high.
See full board dimensions
How far apart are cornhole boards?
For regulation adult play the boards are placed 27 feet apart, measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other. Recreational and youth games often shorten this to 21 or 24 feet.
See cornhole distance guide
How many points is a cornhole bag worth?
A bag that lands and stays on the board surface is worth 1 point. A bag that goes through the hole is worth 3 points. Bags that hit the ground first or fall off the board score nothing.
See cornhole scoring guide
How do you score cornhole?
Cornhole uses cancellation scoring. At the end of each frame you total both teams' points, then subtract the lower total from the higher one. Only the team with the higher total scores, and only the difference counts.
See how cancellation scoring works
How many points do you need to win cornhole?
Most games are played to 21 points, and the winning team must reach 21 at the end of a completed frame. Some formats play to 11 or 15, or require a two-point margin.
See the complete rules
How many bags do you need for cornhole?
A full cornhole set uses 8 bags — 4 of each color. Each player or team throws their 4 bags per frame, alternating throws with the opponent.
See the cornhole bag guide
What is the difference between singles and doubles in cornhole?
In singles, two players stand at the same board and throw at the opposite board, walking down after each frame. In doubles, four players split into two teams, with partners standing at opposite boards and throwing toward each other.
See singles and doubles rules
What are cornhole bags made of?
Regulation bags use a duck-cloth or synthetic suede shell filled with resin pellets. Most competition bags are dual-sided, pairing a fast slick side with a grippier stick side for shot control.
See cornhole bag specificationsExplore CornholeInsider
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