How to Play the Cornhole Game

Cornhole is a trendy game that is fun and exciting for people of all ages. Each cornhole player tries to score more points than the opponent(s) by throwing bags onto a cornhole board placed a distance away. To play the game, you will require cornhole boards and bags. Once you lay the groundwork for the game, it won’t take long for you to start playing the game. The more you play, the more you will learn the best techniques to improve your game.

This article is all about the materials you require, how you can set up your game, and how to play the cornhole game.

Collect the Materials

To play cornhole, you will require the following things:

• 2 or 4 players,
• 2 cornhole boards,
• 2 sets of 4 cornhole bags, each set of different colors or designs,
• an open space, and
• a measuring device (such as a tape measure).

Setting up the Game

Here is how you can set up for the game:

• To begin with, you have to place the cornhole board on an unobstructed, flat surface.
• Use a measuring device to measure 27 feet from the lower end of one board to the other. It is important to note that 27 feet is the official standard but the distance can be adjusted for various skill levels.
• You are to place the second board at the end of 27 feet in a way that the two boards mirror each other.
• Make sure that both the boards are properly oriented.
• Place the cornhole bags on the cornhole boards.
• You can choose any side of the board to throw from. The opponent will stand on the other side of the board as you.
• If the game is being played with 4 players, your partner will stand at the other board.

How does Scoring Work?

Here is all that you must know about scoring.

• You get 1 point for the bags that are on the board at the end of the game.
• The bags that were tossed through the hole are worth 3 points.
• You don’t get any points for the bags that didn’t reach the board.
• Points from the round cancel out at the end of the round.
• The game is over when a team scores exactly 21 points.

Starting the Game

Here is how to begin the game.

• To start the game, the players must place either foot next to the front edge of the cornhole board.
• The player will then throw his bags to the other side. You must aim to land the bag into the hole and if not the hole, at least on the board.
• Perform step 2 alternately between you and your opponent.
• End the round when you and your opponent have run out of bags.
• For final scoring, add the total points obtained by each team and to find out who won, calculate the difference. The team that scores most points can add the difference to their score for the next round.
• The team whose score reaches exactly 21 points wins. If a team scores more than 21 points, however, the score is ‘reset’ to 15 and the game continues.
• In a game that is being played with 4 players, your partners will throw the bags back to your side.

Some Tips for Beginners

If you are a beginner, you might be really excited about your first game. Here are some tips that will help you with your game.

• If you see that your bags slide off the board, practice throwing the bags in a way that they hit the board and their one whole side makes contact with the board.
• If your bags tend to hit the board and slide off the end, you must practice on giving more arc to your throw so that the bag lands flat on the cornhole board.
• You can try different standing positions if your stance doesn’t feel right. Practice throwing in different positions but make sure that you don’t step past the front of the board next to you.

Other Tips to Consider

• If you know that your team will win the game even with the current score and you still have bags to be thrown, don’t risk busting your score. Throw the leftover bags to the side of the board.
• If the bags you threw are close to the hole, you must focus on throwing the remaining bags on those bags so that they will knock the bags into the hole.
• You can also try to knock off their bags that have been hanging off of the edge or close to it while landing your bag on the board.
• Though the 3-point hole is towards the back side of the board, you must focus on throwing at the front of the board. It improves the chances of the bag sliding into the hole or at least landing on the board and giving you one point.
• Create a lateral spin when throwing your cornhole bag, much like a Frisbee. This will increase the bag’s chances of sliding into the hole.
• It is important that you perfect your grip and stance for a perfect throw.
• Don’t let tension or nerves hurt your game. The game is all about having fun and that is what you must mainly focus on.

Now, because you have learned how to set up your cornhole game and play it, the next thing is to keep practicing. Once you start playing it regularly, you will find out that it is a game of strategy.  

Author Bio

Maria is an acclaimed Cornhole Game player, who has great experience and expertise in this game. She also loves talking about cornhole and why other people should also play it. She likes writing blogs and sharing her experience in the game with her readers. Maria’s blogs are informative and interesting to read. This guest blog is about how to play the game of cornhole. For more information, we invite you to visit the official website of the Cornhole Game.