Cornhole is a game that is sweeping the nation in the popularity and it’s known by various names so you may have heard it called bags, bean bags, or some other variation.
But what exactly is cornhole?
This article will explain what the game of cornhole is and give you some insight into the game’s history as well as show you how it’s played and how you can enjoy it.
What is cornhole?
Cornhole is a simply, yet incredibly fun lawn game that involves trying to toss bags filled with corn (or plastic pellets) into a 6 inch hole cut into a board from 27 feet away.
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The history of cornhole
Cornhole has a an interesting history even though we still don’t know 100% about its origins.
Native Americans
Some people attribute the origin of the cornhole game to Native Americans living in the Midwest of the US. Allegedly, the Blackhawk tribe in Illinois played a very similar game where they filled the bladder of pigs with dried beans though the historical evidence for that is pretty scarce.
German farmer
Others state that in the 14th century a German farmer named Matthias Kueperman, a Bavarian cabinetmaker, invented the game. Legend has it that Kueperman witnessed some kids playing a game where they threw rocks into a hole in the ground and he was inspired to create a game of his own.
Kentucky Hills
There’s also some who insist that it was Kentucky who originated cornhole and that cornhole surfaced somewhere in the hills of Kentucky during the late 19th Century.
The real origins
After looking into the history, it’s pretty clear to me that it originated in the late 1800s by Heyliger de Windt, a Harvard grad with close ties to at least five US Presidents.
His 1883 patent for his version “Parlor Quoits” had a lot of similarities to the modern game of cornhole but it included a square hole instead of a round one. That game was eventually adapted into something called “Faba Baga” which had two different-sized holes in the boards and that looked very similar to modern day cornhole.
Why is cornhole so popular?
There are a lot of reasons why cornhole is becoming such a popular game but I can think of a few reasons why it has probably gained so much traction over the past few years.
Play it anywhere
Cornhole is one of the few games that you can play virtually anywhere.
You can play it in driveways, backyards, tailgate parking lots, and you can also play it indoors so there’s really no limit.
This is due to the fact that the game doesn’t require much equipment at all. All you need is: 1) cornhole boards and 2) cornhole bags.
Those two things can be brought almost anywhere and set up without major hassles and that’s a major reason why the game is so popular.
Anybody can play
Another major reason cornhole is so popular is that just about anybody can play it.
It’s not very difficult to learn how to play and it’s even easier to actually get out and play.
The rules can be taught in a matter of minutes since there’s really only a handful of rules that actually matter.
Also, the only physical activity that it requires is that you stand there and toss a bean bag. So virtually anybody can play, regardless of their age or coordination. I’ve seen a number of “non-athletic” people get pretty skilled at cornhole over time so I think there’s definitely potential for many people to get good.
It’s competitive
While cornhole is easy to learn and play, it’s also a game that fosters competitiveness.
There’s something about the dueling nature of the game, where you can knock off other bags off the boards and create a blockade for their bags, that lends itself well to true competition.
So it’s easy to have a completely fun casual game or if you want you can ramp it up to a more focused, competitive match.
Great with parties and events
Cornhole is a perfect game for parties and events.
This is the result of all of the factors above: it’s easy to play and a lot of fun.
So many parties and events are outdoors, especially in the summer, so it’s a game that can naturally be set up at many places.
Also, if you’re putting on a social party or event, you’ll be surprised how much setting up a cornhole court can liven up your guests and allow them to have more fun. Whether they are the ones tossing the bags or just spectating, cornhole offers easy entertainment for a party.
How do you play?
Cornhole is very easy to play.
Cornhole equipment
First, you’ll need your cornhole equipment, which is only the cornhole boards and bags (also called a “cornhole set”).
Cornhole boards
A regulation sized cornhole board is 4 feet by 2 feet and should meet some other specifications. You can find regulation-sized cornhole boards here.
Some people like to play with boards that are a little smaller, usually 3 feet by 2 feet. These are usually considered “tailgate-sized” boards and they can be useful when your space is a little bit limited for gameplay or for transporting and storing your cornhole boards.
Cornhole bags
The cornhole bags should be about 15 ounces and should measure 6 inches by 6 inches. The bags can be filled with either corn feed or plastic resin pellets.
You can read more about getting the right filling for your cornhole bags here.
Cornhole accessories
There are some cornhole accessories that you can make your game play a little easier.
Some of the useful cornhole accessories include:
- Carrying cases
- Scoreboards
- LED lights
- Tote bags
- Cornhole board racks
Cornhole court
Once you have your equipment in order you need to begin setting up your cornhole court.
The court consists of two cornhole boards set up 27 feet apart from each other. This distance is measured from the front edges of the cornhole boards.
If you don’t have the room or you’re a little bit iffy about your skill, then you can set up the boards 24 feet apart from each other.
Game play
You can play cornhole one on one or in teams (two versus two).
One on one
In one on one play, bother players still stand next to a cornhole board on either side. They will alternate tossing their cornhole bags to the opposing cornhole board until each player has throws all four of their cornhole bags.
Once all of the bags have been tossed, you then tally up the score and then bother players pick up their cornhole bags and then get ready to toss them back to the other side.
Two on Two
When teams are involved the game play is almost identical.
The teams will have one player on each side of the cornhole court so that opposing teams are situated on each end of the cornhole court, as shown by the illustration below.
Players from one end will alternate tossing their cornhole bags and then after they have thrown all of their bags, they can tally up their score.
The difference is that the players do not walk down to the other end of the cornhole court since there will be players standing on each end of the court.
For more details on all of the cornhole rules, click here.
Scoring
There are three different types of outcomes you can have when throwing your bags: 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.
There are some more specific rules regarding things like what counts as a foul and what to do if a bag hits the ground, etc. You can read in more detail about cornhole scoring here.
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How to toss a cornhole bag
There are a few different ways that you can toss a cornhole bag.
The preferred way by the pros is to put a spin on the bag so that it is more prone to sliding. However, you don’t have to toss your bags one specific type of way.
In fact, I would highly suggest that you go with whatever method is most comfortable to you.
If that means plopping your bags down on the board like a pancake then so be it. Whatever throwing method works the best for you and allows you to have the best time playing is the technique you should go with.
What are some cornhole terms?
Cornhole is known for having some pretty quirky terms that people use. A lot of these terms vary based on the region of the country that you’re playing in but you here are a few terms you might come across.
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.
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.”
Cornholio
Cornholio is the term usually reserved for when a player makes all four bags into the hole in a single inning/frame.
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.
There are a lot more interesting cornhole terms.
Are their cornhole tournaments?
You can find cornhole tournaments pretty much anywhere in the US, though areas on the East Coast and Midwest probably have the highest concentration of cornhole tournaments.
Some of these tournaments are just for fun and offer drinks as part of the admission fee. Other tournaments are more competitive and will offer pretty nice cash prizes.
There are also some tournaments ran by the official cornhole organizations like the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) and the American Cornhole Association (ACA). These tournaments often allow you to earn points throughout a season and work to qualify for national tournaments.
In fact, some of these championships are even broadcasted live on ESPN!
Are there cornhole drinking games?
Cornhole itself is sometimes considered a drinking game due to its association with tailgating and parties.
But there are a few cornhole drinking games that pair really well with cornhole and can make your cornhole games a little bit more interesting.
One fun game is foul chugs which is when you force the player or team to chug their drinks when they hit a certain number of fouls. It’s fun because it creates anticipation as you get closer to wherever you set the “chug limit.”