101
BAR GAMES 101
BARGAMES101.TV
OUTDOOR GAMESEasy2-4 players15-30 minutes

How to Play Cornhole

America's favorite outdoor game. Learn official cornhole rules, scoring, throwing techniques, and tournament regulations.

What You'll Need

Two cornhole boards (2x4 feet with a 6-inch hole) and 8 bean bags (4 per team, different colors). Set boards 27 feet apart (front to front).

Setup

Place boards facing each other 27 feet apart. Each team gets 4 bags of the same color. In singles, opponents stand at the same board and throw toward the other. In doubles, teammates stand at opposite boards.

How to Play

Teams alternate throws. Each player throws all 4 bags per round, alternating with the opponent.

  • Bag on the board: 1 point
  • Bag through the hole: 3 points
  • Bag on the ground: 0 points

Points are cancellation scoring — only the team with more points in a round scores, and they score the difference.

Winning

First team to exactly 21 points wins. Some rules say you must hit 21 exactly — going over resets you to 15 (or your previous score).

Tips & Strategy

Aim for the hole, not the board. Even if you miss the hole, you'll land on the board. Use a flat, spinning throw — the bag should rotate parallel to the ground for maximum accuracy. Block strategy: Place bags in front of the hole to block your opponent's slides.

Variations

Drinking Cornhole: Drink for every point your opponent scores. Speed Cornhole: 30-second shot clock per throw. Double or Nothing: Bags that slide through the hole after landing count as 6.

WANT MORE GAMES?

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