The Game Known As Cornhole

By Lana Bray

Horsehoes, bocce ball and other backyard games have been popular for many years. There is another game that is a bit similar to these known as cornhole, that is gaining in popularity. Also known as bags, corn toss or bean bag toss, it can be an interesting way to entertain oneself.

The game is played with two opposing teams each using a set of four bags. The two sets of bags need to be different so that it is easy to tell which one belongs to which team. Sometimes these are filled with corn feed, which is purportedly where the name cornhole comes from.



The other pieces of equipment that are needed are two platforms. Each of these is approximately two feet wide by four feet long with a six-inch hole about nine inches from the top in the center of the board. The platform is angled so that the top is about a foot higher than the bottom. The two are generally set 27 feet apart but shorter distances are acceptable when there is not enough space or for younger players.

Next to each platform are two imaginary pitcher's boxes, one on each side. This is the area from which the bags are thrown. A player may not step past the bottom of the platform when tossing a bag.

Cornhole can be played with teams of either one or two players. When there are two players, each one stands on opposite sides and remains there for the entire game. For games with one-player teams, both toss their bags from the same side.

One player from each team tosses their team's four bags to complete one round. It doesn't matter which pitcher's box the players stand in as long as they stay in the same one for the entire round. For each round, the team that had the higher score in the previous round goes first. When the teams have equal scores in one round, the team that threw first will pitch last in the following one.

The standard method of scoring is three points for bags that go through the hole by any means: directly, sliding or being pushed by another bag. At the end of each round, any bags that are still on the board are worth one point each and bags on the ground are worth nothing. Twenty-one total points is needed to win the game.

There are some variations on scoring. For example, two points can be given for a bag that doesn't go in the hole but is hanging over it at the end of a round. Requiring a total of exactly 21 points in order to win is another. If both teams have the same score of 21 or more, they will generally continue the game until of them scores higher in one round and is the winner.

The origin of the game of cornhole is unclear. What is certain, however, is that is has gained significantly in popularity in recent years. Being relatively easy and fun to play, it's likely to continue to be widely played for years to come.

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