OFFICIAL CORNHOLE RULES

Learn how to play cornhole with the official rules and regulations of the game set forth by the original and official governing body of cornhole, American Cornhole Association.

The following video and written guidelines are the original and official rules of cornhole and intended for recreational game play, professional cornhole competitions, and ACA tournaments.

The following dimensions and measurements will serve to determine how far apart to place cornhole boards as well as positioning of players during game play.

A cornhole court shall be a level rectangular area 8-10 feet wide and a minimum of 40-45 feet long. The court should consist of two cornhole boards, designated pitcher’s boxes, and foul lines.

The pitcher’s box is the rectangle 4 feet by 3 feet at each end of the court, parallel with, and on both sides of the boards. Each player must remain in the pitcher’s box while pitching a cornhole bag.

There are two sets of foul lines: open adult-play and junior-play for children 12 and under. The adult foul lines shall be defined as an imaginary line 27 feet between the front of each board. The junior-play foul lines are defined as an imaginary line 12-15 feet between the front of each board. The foul line should be parallel to the front of the opposite board to meet ACA guidelines.

OFFICIAL SPECIFICATION STANDARDS

The following dimensions and measurements will serve to determine standards and specifications for cornhole boards.

• Each cornhole board shall be 47½ to 48 inches in length and 23½ to 24 inches wide, made of smooth plywood that measures at least ½-inch in thickness.
• The hole in each cornhole board shall be 6 inches (+-¼-in) in diameter. Its center shall be 9 inches (+-¼-in) from the top and 12 inches (+-¼- in) from each side of the board edges.
• The front of the cornhole board shall be 3-4 inches from bottom to top.
• The back of the cornhole board shall be approximately 12 inches (+- ¼-in) from ground to the highest point of the deck.
• The board finish shall be sanded to a very smooth texture, and there shall not be any blemishes in the wood surface that might disrupt or distort play.

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

Board top dimensions shall be 18 inches by 18 inches (+-¼-in) and made of at least ½-inch solid plywood.

• The hole in each cornhole board shall be 6 inches in diameter.
• The hole center shall be 9 inches (+- ¼-in) from the top and 9 inches (+- ¼-in) from each side of the board edges.
• The front of the cornhole board shall be 8 -10 inches from bottom to top.
• The back of the cornhole board shall be approximately 11-12 inches from ground to the highest point of the deck.
• The board finish shall be sanded to a very smooth texture, and there shall not be any blemishes in the wood surface that might disrupt or distort play.

OFFICIAL SPECIFICATION STANDARDS

The following dimensions and measurements will serve to determine standards and specifications for cornhole bags.

• The cornhole bags shall be made from two fabric squares 6¼ x 6¼ inches with a ¼-inch stitched seam on all four sides. • Bags should be made from durable fabric.
• The thickness of the bag when laying flat on a hard surface should be approximately 1 inch (+-⅛-in) thick.
• Each bag shall be filled with plastic pellets or corn feed and finished bags should be roughly 6 square inches and weigh 14-16.25 ounces.

Every match is broken down into innings of play. During an inning of play, each player must pitch all four of his/her bags. An inning is never completed until all players pitch all four of his/her bags.

Two single players compete against one another until a single winner is determined.

Two teams, consisting of two players, compete against one another until a winning team is determined.

The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is “cancellation” scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player/team can score in each inning.

The player or team who scored in the preceding inning has honor pitching first in the next inning. If neither player or team scores, the player or team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain first pitch in the next frame.

The following are rule violations that must be spotted and called by a player or assigned judge. The penalty is to declare the bag a foul bag, which requires the bags to be removed from the court prior to resuming play.

The game shall be played to the predetermined number of twenty-one points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of an inning is the winner.

Two teams (consisting of 8 players on each team), compete in 6 rounds of game play to determine the winner of the match.

The 6 rounds of play consist of:

• 3 rounds of doubles match play
• 2 rounds of singles match play
• 1 round of an airmail shootout

Rounds 1-5 can be played all at one time or in sequential order if time allows. Round 6 Airmail Shootout must only begin when the first 5 rounds are complete.

Each round of play is assigned a match point value. Teams compete to have the highest match point value totaling 21 points.

The team that has 21 match points at the end of the 6 rounds of play wins the game.

Only 8 players are allowed to play in a match per team.

The first person to throw in a match is decided two different ways; the match begins with a coin toss and the winner decides who throws first, or teams are given the designation of home team and visiting team. The visiting team will throw first in rounds 1-5. However, the team that has the lowest amount of match points going into the final 6th round will throw first in the airmail shootout.

Two teams, consisting of two players each, compete against one another until a winning team is determined.

Each team will stay in their designated lane for the whole game.

Players at the headboard will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all four of his/ her bags.

Players at the footboard will take score and resume pitching back to the other board.

The top of an inning is completed when both players pitching from the headboard pitch all four bags; the bottom of the inning is completed when the remaining players pitching from the footboard pitch all four bags.

Two single players compete against one another until a single winner is determined.

Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game.

Players start the game at the headboard and will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all four of his/her bags.

Players then walk to the end of their lane to the other court, take score, and resume pitching back to the other board.

PITCHING ROTATION

• The player or team who scored in the preceding inning has honor pitching first in the next inning. If neither player or team scores, the player or team who pitched first in the preceding inning shall retain first pitch in the next inning.
• The pitcher must be within the pitcher’s box or behind the foul line at the time of release.
• A player must pitch all four bags from their designated pitcher’s box.
• Players must pitch the bag with an under-hand release.

Round 6 utilizes airmail cornhole boards or regulation cornhole boards. See Equipment Standards for the official specifications for airmail cornhole boards.

All players from both teams must participate in the airmail shootout round.

Teams will alternate throws.

Each team must have all players throw once before players can throw again. Each player must stay in the same order as when they started the airmail round.

Each player must throw from behind the foul lines that can be found 27 feet apart (or the front of the cornhole boards).

A coin toss decides which sides the teams shoot from. A team shoots from one side of the court while the other team is on the opposite side of the court. See court layout diagram.

Each player can choose one bag that they throw for the entire round.

The approved method of scoring for Round 6 :

• Any bag which comes to rest anywhere on top of the board is worth 1 total MATCH point.
• Any bag which is thrown through the hole is worth 2 total MATCH points.
• Cancellation scoring is not used for this round of the match. Each bag in the hole or on the board is counted as its own match point. After every throw the board and hole are cleared of previously thrown bags.
• If a regular cornhole board is used for the airmail shootout instead of an airmail board, any bag that touches the board more than 6 inches below the hole will be a foul bag and not counted as a match point.

There are two types of points: game points and match points.

Rounds 1-5 shall be played to the predetermined number of 21 game points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of an inning is the winner of that round.

The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is “cancellation” scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player/team can score in each inning.

Bag In-The-Count (Woody) : Any bag which comes to rest anywhere on top of the board. Each is worth one (1) point.

Bag In-The-Hole (Cornhole) : Any bag which is thrown through the hole or knocked through the hole by another bag. Each is worth three (3) points.

Foul Bag: Refers to any bag that has not been determined as Bag In-The-Count or Bag In-The Hole or was designated a foul bag as the result of rules violation.

Match points are points that go to the overall match score, and are what determines the match winner. Each team’s objective is to be the first to score 21 match points.

Match points can be earned two ways:

• The first way is by winning a game during rounds 1-5. Each round has a certain amount of match points that is awarded (see schedule below).
• The second way to earn match points is to successfully throw a cornhole bag into the hole or onto the board during the airmail shootout in round 6.

For sequential play. Each round must be completed before the next round can start.

EQUIPMENT:
1 SET OF 2X4 BOARDS
1 SET OF AIRMAIL BOARDS (OPTIONAL)
*see Optional Court Layout for Round 6 Airmail Shootout Match Play Layout

For simultaneous play. Rounds 1-5 play at the same time. Rounds 1 through 5 must be completed before round 6 can start.

EQUIPMENT:
5 SETS OF 2X4 BOARDS
1 SET OF AIRMAIL BOARDS (OPTIONAL)
*see Optional Court Layout for Round 6 Airmail Shootout Match Play Layout

An official must be easily identifiable at an event.

If more than one official is present at an event, one must be assigned as the Head Official with the ability to make the final ruling if there is a protest.

If an official is not present, the tournament or league director makes the final decision on a protest.

Officials may determine an agreed-upon time limit prior to the beginning of each round, if appropriate. If a time limit is in place, the team with the higher score at the end of the time is determined the winner for that round.

The scorecard is the official document used to record game activity and transmit match results. Scorecards may be designed to accommodate one match format or all formats.

Officials may determine to allow 1 timeout per team during each round of play, if time permits. This must be determined at the beginning of the match and can only be used when that team is on the clock and has the next toss. Timeouts shall be no longer than 1 minute and are not permitted during round 6.

The following are foul bag rule violations that must be spotted and called by a player or assigned official.

Violation: Any bag pitched when the player has made contact with or crossed over the foul line.

Penalty: The bag is removed from the board.

Violation: : Any bag pitched when the player has started or stepped completely outside the pitcher’s box before the bag is released.

Penalty: The bag is removed from the board.

Violation: Any bag not delivered within the 20-second time limit.

Penalty: The player forfeits their turn.

Violation: A bag pitched from a different pitcher’s box than the first bag (during Rounds 1-5).

Penalty: The bag is removed from the board.

Violation: Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the board.

Penalty: The bag is removed from the board.

Violation: Any bag that struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc.

Penalty: The bag is removed from the board.

Violation: Any bag removed from the board before scoring has been agreed upon for that bag.

Penalty: The offending team (who touches the bags) forfeits all remaining bags and tallies the score of just the bags thrown before the foul was reported.

Penalty: The non-offending team tallies twelve (12) game points as if they had thrown four Bag In-The- Holes (Cornholes) during the inning.

Violation: A bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final forward swing has started.

Penalty: This throw shall not be considered foul and may be picked up and pitched.

Violation: Airmail Round ONLY - If a regular cornhole board is used in Round 6 then any bag that is thrown and touches the board more than 6 inches below the hole will count as a foul bag.

Penalty: No match points will be rewarded.

If a player desires to make a protest, the protest shall be made to the referee or official at the time the problem occurs. The official shall make the final ruling on all protests.

All ACA run and managed events will have an additional set of standards that will be published with the event that cover code of conduct, officiating, team uniform standards, and other pertinent information required for entry and play at that event.

All tournaments and leagues are encouraged to build out any additional code of conduct rules based on the standards they are trying to set for their local organization.

Kids cornhole can be played 1-on-1 or 2-on-2.

FOULS
Players must stay on their side of the board and their foot cannot cross the front of the board until the bag is thrown. If a player crosses the front of the board, a foul is called while tossing. The foul bag is removed from play.

SCORING
Any bag which comes to rest anywhere on top of the board is worth one (1) point.
Any bag which is thrown through the hole or knocked through the hole by another bag is worth three (3) points.
Any bag which is not on the board or through the hole is worth zero (0) points.
Note: Cancellation scoring is not used for kids play.

ALTERNATING TOSSES
The player/team who scored more points in the previous round goes first the next round. If it was tied, the player/team who went first last round gets to go first again.

TIEBREAKER
In the case both players/teams reach 15 points in the same round, another round is played. The player/team that scores more points during the extra round is declared the winner. Extra rounds can continue to be added until a winner is declared.

PLAYER 1 VS. PLAYER 2

1. Starting at either board, both players pick a lane (left or right of the board).
2. Players alternate tossing bags until each player has tossed all four (4) bags.
3. Once all bags are thrown, each player adds up their total points.
4. Players then stay in their lane, walk to the other board, and repeat Steps 2 and 3 tossing the other way.
5. Play continues until one player reaches or exceeds fifteen (15) points.

TEAM 1 VS. TEAM 2

1. Each pair of teammates line up across from each other at opposite boards.
2. Starting on one side, opposing players alternate tossing bags until each player has tossed all four (4) bags.
3. Once all bags are thrown, each team adds up their total points.
4. The players on the opposite side then collect the bags and repeat Steps 2 and 3 throwing the other way.
5. Play continues until one team reaches or exceeds fifteen (15) points.

Official Cornhole rules and regulations of the American Cornhole Association (ACA). The rules and regulations were developed by a majority of ACA members.