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What is cornhole?

Cornhole is also be known as “corn toss”, “bean bag toss”, “baggo”, or “bags”. It’s a lawn game similar to horseshoes but much much better. Instead of using metal stakes and horseshoes, the game is played with plywood boards and corn filled bags. Players toss the bags from opposite ends of the boards and attempt to make the bags into the six inch holes cut into the plywood boards. A bag on the board is worth 1 point and a bag in the hole scores 3 points. Who first scores 21 points wins! There are a few more rules, but that’s essentially the point of the game.

Are you already as excited to play cornhole as we are? Take a at our products: a single cornhole board, a set of cornhole boards, cornhole boards with your own design or a cornhole gift package.

Why is such a simple game so much fun?

Cornhole is a social game played with friends and family in backyards, festivals, BBQ’s, parties, and any other kind of social function. The game is portable so you can play it just about anywhere, and the cornhole bags are light so it’s safe for the whole family to play. The great thing about bringing out the cornhole boards is that it is an easy way to “break the ice” at any party or social gathering.

The cornhole community has also created a whole set of terms to communicate the happenings of the game. The game starts out as a simple and tactical game, until you either score or lose. That’s when the excitement begins!

The Cornhole game is similar to “horseshoe throwing” or “darts”. Instead of heavy iron horseshoes to throw or throwing sharp point like darts, throw your “corn” filled “bags” in a “hole”.

To play cornhole you need a single cornhole board, or a set cornhole boards including 2 sets of cornhole bags. Do you really want to impress your friends? Think about a cornhole set with your own design or a cornhole gift package.

Here’s how to play cornhole. Rules around you (especially tournament rules) may vary. Watch out, this game may be addictive!

Basis game

The game is played with 2 or 4 players (preferably 4).
The cornhole board (s) will be played from circa 8 meters.
The opponents throw from 8 meters away from the board, facing towards the board.
The game begins focused on one board with all 8 bags.
Each team plays with a set of 4 bags and each team has his / her own color.
One partner from each team throws alternately until all 8 bags are played.
The round is played (see scoring).
Repeat the game from the other side or, in case you play with one board, by picking up the bags after calculating the score, and returning to the 8 meter point.
The highest scoring team in the previous round has honors.
If you play with 4 people, the next round is played by the team mates.

Scoring

The first team to get exactly 21 points at the end of a round wins!
A team earns 1 point for bags on the board, they can’t hit the ground and then bounce on the board, nor can they be touching the ground. It is appropriate to remove all bags from the board that hit the ground first, this is done before play is continued.
A team earns 3 points for bags that go into the hole. They must go completely in the hole. Bags that are hanging in the hole only count for 1 point. If your opponent knocks your bag into the hole you still get the 3 points.
The score is the difference in the team totals. For example: After 1 round or 8 bags played; Team #1 has thrown 1 bag into the hole and three off the board, their total then is 3 points. Team #2 has thrown 1 bag on the board and three off the board, there total then is 1 point. You subtract team #2’s score from team #1’s score and the total score for the round is team #1 earns 2 points. CAUTION! You may NOT go over the 21 points! You should score exactly 21 points to finish. If you finish over 21 points, you drop back to 15 points. A little tactical understanding and active count is required.

If you’re ready for the professional level, please see the full ACO Rules for Cornhole Sport.

Cornhole court layout

Cornhole Boards: Boards are positioned 8 meters from the front edge to front edge of the board.
Cornhole Pitchers Boxes: A designated pitchers box is a 1 x 1 meter area at each end of the court and on both sides of each board; (4) boxes in all.
Cornhole Foul Lines: The front edge of the cornhole board is the foul line.

Cornhole scoring

Traditional 21: The game shall be played to the pre-determined number of twenty-one (21) points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of a frame is the winner.
Woody: Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame. Each woody is 1pt.
Cornhole: Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and passes through the cornhole board hole at anytime within the frame. Each cornhole is 3pts.
Cancellation Scoring: The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is “cancellation” scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player/team can score in each frame.
Example: Red achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes. Blue achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes. 7 points – 2 points = Red scores 5 points for that frame.
Foul Bags: Refers to any cornhole bag that has not been determined as a “woody” or “cornhole”, or was designated a foul bag as the result of rules violation.
Designated Foul Bags: Refers to any cornhole bag that has not been determined as a “woody” or “cornhole”, or was designated a foul bag as the result of rules violation. Bags contacting the ground before reaching the playing surface and bags pitched when a player has crossed the foul line are Foul Bags. If a foul bag lands on the playing surface or comes to rest touching the ground and the board, it must be removed immediately.

Play of the cornhole game

Singles Play

Player A competes against Player B.
Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
Players start the game at the headboard and will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
Players then walk to the end of their lane to the other court, take score, and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.

Doubles Play

Team A competes against Team B – each team is comprised of two (2) people.
Each team will stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
Players at the headboard will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
Players at the footboard will take score and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.

Pitching

Players alternate pitching bags (one player at a time) until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
A player must pitch all (4) cornhole bags from their designated cornhole pitchers box.
One foot must be completely within the pitcher’s box at the time of releasing the bag.
Players must not cross the foul line with their feet before the bag has landed.

Pitching the next frame

The player/team who scored in the preceding frame shall pitch first in the next frame. If neither player/team scores, the player/team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain first pitch in the next frame.
Raking Cornhole Bags: If bags become piled inside the cornhole board hole and may interfere or obstruct with the next pitch or if there is question whether a cornhole bag would have naturally fallen through the hole, a player may request to “rake” the cornhole bags that have fallen inside the hole.
Important note: During raking, all efforts should be made to leave bags on the playing surface undisrupted, in their natural state, and to leave bags that may hang on the rim of the hole from falling inside the hole unnaturally. If a bag is resting on a piled bag, and unavoidably falls into the hole as a result of raking, then it shall be counted as a “cornhole.”

Are you the proud owner of a GOCKEL item? A single cornhole board, a set of cornhole boards or a set of cornhole bags – then it’s time for the next step. The cornhole community has created a whole set of terms to communicate the happenings of the game. Don’t be the one that shows up to play cornhole and then doesn’t know how to speak the language of the game… Read the list below to build up your cornhole vocabulary.

Airmail
A bag that does not slide or bounce on the board but goes directly into the hole, usually over an opponent’s blocker bag.

Back door
A cornhole that goes over the top of a blocker and into the hole.

Backstop
A bag that lands past the cornhole but remains on the board creating a backboard for a slider to knock into without going off the board.

Blocker
A bag that lands in front of the hole, blocking the hole from an opponent’s slide shot.

Cornfusion
When players or teams cannot agree on the scoring of a given inning.

Cornhole
A bag that falls in the hole, which is worth three points.

Dirty bag
A bag that is on the ground or is hanging off the board touching the ground.

Frame
A single round or turn during which a player and opponent each throw 4 bags.

Four bagger
A sequence of a player making all four bags in the hole during a frame. There is a tradition in some areas where any social player who puts all four bags in the hole on a single turn gets to sign the board, often with some type of ceremony and recognition.

Flop or floppy bag
Type of toss that didn’t spin the bag horizontally or vertically. Without rotation or spin.

Hammer
When one or more hangers (see below) are around the hole, a so-called hammer can be used. A hammer is a bag thrown as an airmail bag with a high arch in an attempt to take hanger bags into the hole with it.

Hanger
A bag on the lip of the hole ready to drop.

Honors
The player or team who tosses first, resulting from the team scoring last or winning the coin toss before the first frame.

Hooker
A bag hitting the board and hooking or curving around a blocker and going in the hole.

Jumper
A bag that strikes another bag on the board causing it to jump up into the cornhole.

Shortbag
When a bag lands on the ground just before the cornhole board.

Skunk
A game that ends in a 21–0 score. Believe us, you do NOT want to end that quickly…

Slide, or slider
A bag that lands in front of the hole and slides in.

Swish
A bag that goes directly in the hole without touching the board. More often referred to as “airmail”.^.

Wash
When each team has scored exactly the same number of points in an inning, thereby “washing out” all points scored in the inning.

Woody
Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame.

SHARE THE FUN!

At Gockel, we're all about bringing the fun to your next event, festival, or team building activity with our cornhole boards and bags. We offer custom cornhole boards with your logo for branding, team building, festivals, and promotional gifts. Join us in sharing the fun.

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Contact

Gockel Original Cornhole
Huisvennen 2
5111 GE Baarle Nassau
The Netherlands

+31(0)6 40445164
info@gockel-cornhole.com
KVK: 68599366
VAT: NL860100832B01

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