Cornhole is a fun game (and some would even say sport) with a lot of unique terminology. Below is a list of different cornhole terms commonly used in the sport. Some of these terms are used regionally so you may never have heard of many of these terms but others are quite common across the country.
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Standard cornhole terms
Most of these terms relate to cornhole scoring. The three key terms to know for cornhole scoring are: cornholes, woodies, and fouls.
- Cornholes are worth 3 points and you score a cornhole whenever your bean bag makes it through the hole in the cornhole board.
- Woodies are worth 1 point and are those bags that remain set on the cornhole board (also called playing surface).
- Foul bags are worth zero points and are those bags that aren’t cornholes and aren’t woodies.
Other Cornhole terms
The terms below are different ways to describe cornhole occurrences. Some of these terms may have different meanings depending on the region of the country you play in but some are understood universally to mean the same thing.
In addition to getting familiar with some of these terms, you also probably want to know about all of the cornhole/ bean bag toss rules, which you can read more about here.
Ace
An ace is a that bag lands on the playing surface, also known as a woody.
Airmail
An airmail is a bag that goes directly into the hole without touching the board at all. This is often needed when a player has set up blockers. It’s considered one of the most difficult cornhole shots due to the precision is requires to execute.
It’s also known as a “glory hole.”
Back door
When your opponent has set up a blocker bean bag in front of the cornhole and you toss a bag over the blocker and into the hole, this is known as a “back door.”
Backstop
A backstop is a bag that lands past the cornhole but remains on the board. It essentially creates a backboard so you can toss a slider right into the “backstop” and the bean bag will likely fall right in to the hole.
Blocker
A blocker is an ace or woody that lands right in front of the cornhole. This blocks sliders from sliding right into the hole. If you are playing with two-sided cornhole bags, it’s usually better to use the “sticky” side to try to get to the blocker in the right position.
Knowing how to utilize blockers is essential to cornhole strategy.
Cornfusion
A cornfusion results whenever the players or teams cannot agree on the scoring for an inning. In many cases, it’s best to just restart the inning if the parties cannot agree on the score.
Cornhole
A cornhole, sometimes called a Drain O, is a bag that falls in the hole and is worth three points.
If the bag is partially still on the board that is considered a woody and would only be worth one point.
Cornholio
Cornholio is the term usually reserved for when a player makes all four bags into the hole in a single inning/frame.
It is also the name for the alter-ego of the character Beavis from the one and only Beavis and Butt-Head.
Cornucopia
This is the same as cornholio and it is achieved when a player throws all four bags into the hole in one inning.
Cow pie
A cow pie is a that bag lands on the playing surface (resembling a cow pie); this is also known as a woody.
Double Stack
A Double Stack is when a player throws two bags at once. This is not allowed in official play but something that happens in backyard cornhole play sometimes.
Dirty bag
A dirty bag is a bag that is on the ground or is hanging off the board touching the ground. This is considered a foul and it means that your bag is worth zero points. These can be immediately removed.
Dirty Rollup
A dirty roll up is the same as a back door, which again is a cornhole that goes over the top of a blocker and into the cornhole.
Flop
A flop is the type of toss that doesn’t spin at all or rotate, whether horizontally or vertically. It essentially plops down on the board. Generally, you want spin on the bean bags but flops can be a way for some people to land their blockers.
Grasshopper
A grasshopper is a bag that bounces off the grass or floor and lands on the playing surface. This is considered a foul bag and is worth zero points.
Screaming eagle, Eddie the eagle:
A screaming eagle is a bag that flies right over the cornhole board without touching the board. This is a foul bag with a bit of added shame.
Slippery granny
If you score three bags in a row that land on the board (woodies) then you have a slipper granny.
Grand bag, double deuce, catorce four-bagger, four-pack, Jumanji:
These are the same terms used to describe the cornholio, which is when a player makes all of his or her bags into the cornhole in a single inning.
Some say that the tradition is for that player to sign the board but, uh… that’s not going to happen with one of my boards.
Trip Dip
A trip dip is when a plater makes three cornholes out of the four bags in a single inning.
Hammer
A hammer is the last cornhole bag tossed in each round.
Hanger or shook
A hanger is an ace on the lip of the cornhole that’s very near to dropping in. This is counted as one point until it falls into the hole at which point it would be considered three points.
Honors
The team who scored in the last inning is the one who tosses first in the next inning and is said to have “honors.”
Hooker
A hooker is a bag that hits the board and curves around a blocker and ultimately makes its way into the cornhole.
These take some experience with throwing and are impressive when executed properly.
Jumper
A jumper is a bean bag that hits another bag on the playing surface, causing the bag to “jump” into the cornhole. The bag that falls into the hole is considered a cornhole, which counts for three points.
Leprechaun
A Leprechaun is when a player lands four woodies on the board.
Madden
A madden is when a player throws their bag directly at the opposing player. This is not encouraged (unless that person deserves it, of course).
Police
The cornhole referee may be referred to as the police.
Sally
A Sally is a derogatory term used to describe a toss that is lands on the ground before reaching the board. If the bag comes very close to the cornhole board, than that is known as a: “short bag,” “candy corn,” or “corn patty.”
Shucker
A shucker is when a bag hits an opposing players bag and knocks it off the board. To accomplish this, you’ll need a lower trajectory on the toss and you’ll likely need to make the toss with some added velocity.
Skunk
A skunk is a game that ends when one player gets up in score by a certain amount of points. The amount varies — some people play a 7-0 skunk while others play an 11-0 skunk.
Slider
A slider is a cornhole that slides right into the cornhole. These are typically thrown with some spin or rotation and are the most common type of way to score in cornhole.
Swish
A swish is the same as an “Airmail” which is a bag that goes directly in the hole without touching the board.
Shotgun
A shotgun is when a player throws all four bags at once. This is often reserved for quitters and drunks.
Wash
A wash occurs when each team has scored exactly the same number of points in an inning, thereby “washing out” all points scored in the inning. In this case, the inning is essentially restarted and whichever player went first in the that inning goes first again.
H/T: to Wikipedia for help with the terms.