Cornhole Explained: Rules, Names, Dimensions & More [Full Guide]

Cornhole Explained: Rules, Names, Dimensions & More [Full Guide]

Matthias Lachance

Cornhole is an American classic that everyone must know how to play. Whether you’re at a cookout, a college campus, or at the beach, you’ll likely be presented with a competitive yet somewhat friendly game of cornhole. Throughout this article, we’re going to explain it all. You’ll learn about the origins, the rules, distances, other names, and even learn how to spruce your board up.

Cornhole Origin 

Cornhole is one of those games where no one truly knows who created it. There are numerous different hypotheses about who created the game such as fourteenth-century Germany, the Blackhawk Tribe of Illinois, and a Kentucky farmer from the nineteenth century. Regardless of the origin, cornhole became a household name when it gained popularity over fifteen years ago in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

What is Cornhole?

Let’s start off with the basics. This incredible game is very similar to horseshoes, except you use wooden boxes and corn bags instead of horseshoes and metal stakes. The rules are very simple. Competitors take turns tossing their bags at the board, receiving one point for each bag on the board and three points for every bag in the whole. The first person to reach the magical number of twenty-one. To improve the longevity of the game, there is a canceling out factor when playing in groups of two. If you land four points, and your opponent lands three, your team would only receive one point for that round because you outscored the competition by one. The basics of cornhole are easy to grasp, but there are a few rules that cause confusion.

 

Different Rule Options

Just like any game, you can customize the different rules of cornhole to your liking. The most common altered rule is you can’t pass twenty-one. The implications of this rule vary drastically, some penalties result in the team returning to fifteen, returning to the prior score, returning to the prior score minus one, and returning to the prior score but deducting how many points you scored in the most recent round. In extreme variations, going over twenty one more than three times can result in an automatic loss. These are a few of the common rule alterations, but of course, you can play however you’d like. 

How Far Apart Should Cornhole Boards Be

To play regulation standard, you place the boards on a flat surface twenty-seven feet apart from front to front. Like mentioned earlier, if you’d like to adjust the boards to a longer or shorter length you are welcome to do so, it just won’t be regulation. 

Making Them Look Pretty

Cornhole is, of course, built for fun, but a little style never hurts. There are a few options when it comes to making your cornhole board more aesthetically pleasing. 

Different Names For Cornhole

  • Corn Toss
  • Bean Bag
  • Bean Toss
  • Soft Horseshoes
  • Indiana Horseshoes

We hope you learned a lot from this article and enjoyed every second. If you’re interested in making your board be the talk of the neighborhood, take a look at some of our vinyl graphics such as Grunge American Flag Cornhole Board Decals, Crystal Wave Sunset Cornhole Board Decals, or Draped American Flag Cornhole Board Decal