Tournaments

The American Cornhole Organization (ACO) was established in 2005 by Frank Geers and is headquartered in Milford, Ohio. The ACO claims on its website to be the "governing body for the sport of cornhole".^[5]

The American Cornhole League (ACL) was founded in 2015 by Stacey Moore. According to the ACL's website, it promotes and develops cornhole as a sport on every level, and created software and apps to manage cornhole leagues, tournaments, special events, and player development.^[6]

The American Cornhole Association (ACA) is an organization whose sole mission is to help cornhole players enjoy the game of cornhole. According to its website, "[o]ne of the most important ways to achieve this goal is for people to have high-quality equipment to play on."^[7] Accordingly, the ACA is largely focused on selling cornhole-related products and equipment rather than acting as a sanctioning body of the sport; however, it does have its own rules and does sponsor events.

Equipment and court layout

Cornhole matches are played with two sets of four bags (eight total), two boards and two, four, or eight players.^[8][9]

There are four bags to a set. Each set of bags should be distinguishable from the other, usually by using different colors. The American Cornhole League's rules call for double-seamed fabric bags measuring 6 by 6 inches (150 by 150 mm) and weighing 15.5 to 16.5 ounces (440 to 470 g).^[9] Although bags used to be filled with preserved corn kernels (hence "cornhole") or dried beans, the American Cornhole Organization developed bags filled with plastic resin or other materials that will maintain a consistent weight and shape over many throws without deforming.^[8] Bags are usually dual-sided, with each side of the bag being a different material that can affect grip and react faster or slower on the board's surface. Faster bags are often preferred in humid conditions when bags will not slide as readily. Additionally, professional players may opt for different materials depending on their personal throwing styles. Players with a lower, faster throw may use more rotation and prefer a slower bag material, whereas players with higher, slower throws may use less rotation and prefer a more reactive bag.

As per the American Cornhole Organization Rules, each board is 2 by 4 feet (0.61 by 1.22 m), with a 6-inch (150 mm) diameter hole.^[8] The hole's center is positioned 9 inches (230 mm) down from the center of the top edge of the board. Each board is angled with the top edge of the playing surface 12 inches (300 mm) above the ground, and the bottom edge 3–4 inches (76–102 mm) above the ground. A standard court places the two boards 33 feet (10 m) or 27 feet (8.2 m) apart, measuring from the bottom edge of the boards. Different (usually shorter) distances may be used if space is limited or if younger players are participating.^[8][9] Some smaller versions of the game, with scaled-down boards, bags, and holes are available specifically for children.

The areas immediately to the left and right of the boards are the pitcher's boxes. The line (either drawn or imaginary) extending from the bottom edge of the board in both the left and right direction is the foul line. When throwing the bags, players cannot step past the foul line or else the throw does not count.

Gameplay

A cornhole match is separated into innings (or frames). During each inning, each player or team will throw their designated four bags. The manner in which the bags are thrown depends on which format of cornhole is being played: singles (1 vs. 1), doubles (2 vs. 2), or crew (4 vs. 4).

In singles (1 vs. 1), both players throw their four bags while standing on opposite sides of the same board (left vs. right pitcher's box), alternating throws between the two players. After all eight bags are thrown, both players walk to the opposite board, while remaining in their lane, to tally the score. To begin the next inning, both players turn around to throw at the other board in the same manner. The effect of this is that by always staying in their respective lane, the two players will alternate each inning throwing from the left vs. right pitcher's box.^[8][9]

In doubles (2 vs. 2), one partner from each team stands in the left pitcher's box of one board while the other partner stands in the right pitcher's box of the opposite board. Thus, each team's partners are on opposite ends, facing each other, both in the same lane. From here, gameplay is similar to singles: the two opponents at one board alternate throwing their four bags at the other board, after which a mid-inning score is tallied; then their partners at that board alternate throwing their team's four bags back at the other board, after which the final inning score can be tallied. In doubles, players may not change sides, i.e. one partner will throw from the left pitcher's box of one board and the other from the right pitcher's box of the other board for the entire game.

In the crew format (4 vs. 4), play is identical to doubles, but with two teammates at each of the two boards, one pair in the left pitcher's box of one board and the other pair in the right pitcher's box of the opposite board, each pair facing each other, in the same lane. Instead of each partner pitching four bags per inning (as in doubles), in crew each teammate pitches two bags per inning, again alternating throws both with the opposing team (as in singles and doubles) and with the player's teammate who is standing with them at the same board.

Note that in doubles and crew, the score for any inning is based on eight throws per team, as opposed to four throws per player in singles.

In all formats, the pitcher must throw the bag within 20 seconds. The time begins when the pitcher is inside the pitcher's box with an intent to throw. The first pitch of an inning goes to whichever player or team scored in the previous inning. If neither player or team scored in the previous inning, then whichever pitched first in the previous inning will again pitch first in the next inning. The first pitch of the first inning can be decided by a coin toss.

A legal pitch must be tossed while the pitcher's feet are within the pitcher's box. If the pitcher begins the throw with a foot beyond the foul line or otherwise steps beyond the foul line before releasing the bag, the pitch is a foul and does not count. A foul throw cannot be re-taken and the bag is removed from play before continuing. If a foul bag moves other bags in the field of play, those bags are returned to their prior position before continuing, including if a bag was moved into the hole. If a bag lands only partially on the board and is also touching the ground, it does not count and is removed before continuing.

Scoring

To score points, bags must be on the surface of the board or fall through the hole. To score three points, a bag may fall directly into the hole, slide into the hole after hitting the board, or be knocked into the hole by another bag. A bag remaining on the board scores one point.^[8][1] A bag partially on the board and partially on the ground ("dirt bag") does not count and should be removed before the next throw.

In cornhole, cancellation scoring is used. When the scores are tallied at the end of an inning, whichever player or team scores higher is awarded points equal to the difference between both sides. For example, if Team A scores 12 points in an inning and Team B scores 10 points, then Team A is awarded two points (12 minus 10); whereas if Team A and Team B both score 12 points, the difference is zero, and no one scores. Play continues until one player or team reaches or exceeds 21 points at the end of an inning. By using cancellation scoring, it is only possible for one side (or neither side) to score in any inning, so match ties are impossible.

Different variations in scoring or house rules are sometimes used. Sometimes, a bag hanging over the hole, but which has not fallen through, is scored as two points. Other variations include requiring one team to reach exactly 21 points without going over to win. If a team exceeds 21 points after an inning (called "busting"), different punishments might be used such as automatically returning to 15 points, returning to the team's prior score, returning to the prior score minus one, etc. In some versions, if a team "busts" three times, their opponents automatically win the match.

Strategy

Gameplay strategy varies by player and skill level. At the professional level, players can easily slide all four bags into the hole if no bag blocks the path. Defensive strategies are often employed to slow down gameplay or force opponents to make difficult decisions. Defensive plays might include throwing a blocker bag that rests in front of the hole, thereby forcing an opponent to either slide through the blocker bag to reach the hole, throw another blocker behind the bag, or attempt a risky airmail shot over the bag aiming directly for the hole without touching the board.

Competitive Player Ranking

The American Cornhole Organization ranks amateur and professional cornhole players through their World Rankings. Players are world ranked by division, including Singles, Doubles, Womens, Seniors and Juniors. ^[10]