Official Rules of Cornhole

Cornhole, also known as bean bag toss, is a popular outdoor game that involves tossing bags filled with corn or synthetic beans onto a raised platform with a hole in it. The objective of the game is to score points by landing bags on the platform or in the hole. Here are the widely accepted official rules:

Equipment:

• Cornhole boards: Two wooden boards that are 4 feet long and 2 feet wide with a 6-inch diameter hole, centered 9 inches from the top of the board and 12 inches from each side edge. The boards must be sturdy and secure, with no loose or broken parts.
• Cornhole bags: Eight bags filled with dried corn or synthetic beans, each bag is made of a durable fabric and measures approximately 6 inches by 6 inches. The bags must be filled with at least 1 pound of corn or beans and be of equal weight and size.

Setting up the Game:

• Place the boards 27 feet apart from the front edge of each board. This distance is measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other board. If players are playing with younger children, they can move the boards closer together for a shorter throwing distance.
• Each board should be placed on a flat surface with the hole facing the opposite board. The game can be played with two or four players, with each player or team having four bags to toss.

Scoring:

• A bag that lands on the board is worth 1 point.
• A bag that goes through the hole is worth 3 points.
• Only bags that are on the board or in the hole at the end of the round are scored.
• The score is calculated by subtracting the points of one team from the points of the other team. The team with the highest score wins the round.
• The team or player who wins the round tosses first in the next round.
• The game continues until one player or team reaches 21 points.

Game Play:

• The game is played in rounds, with each player tossing four bags per round.
• Players or teams alternate turns and toss bags towards the opposite board.
• Players must stay behind the front of their board until their turn.
• If a player throws a bag while stepping over the foul line or over the front of the board, the bag is removed from play.
• If a player's bag lands on the board and then falls off before the end of the round, it does not count as a score.
• The player or team with the highest score from the previous round tosses first in the next round.
• The game continues until one player or team reaches 21 points.
• If both teams or players have the same score after the final round, the game continues until a team or player wins by two points.

Fouls:

• A foul occurs when a player violates any of the rules.
• If a foul is called, the opponent may choose to either remove the bag from play or have it count as a point for the offending player.
• Some common fouls include stepping over the foul line, throwing out of turn, or touching the board or bag while the bag is in play.
• If a player or team receives three fouls in a game, they forfeit their next turn.