Cornhole Corner

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Cornhole, often affectionately called "bags" or "sack toss," has exploded from a casual backyard game into a competitive, nationally televised sport. While its exact origins are debated, the game's journey has been one of simplification, standardization, and a massive surge in popularity.

• Midwest Regional Staple (Early 1900s–1980s): The game, using wooden boards and corn-filled bags, gained significant traction in the Midwest, particularly around Cincinnati, Ohio. It became a ubiquitous part of family reunions, church picnics, and tailgate parties. The game's simplicity and low barrier to entry fueled its grassroots appeal.
• The Age of Professionalism (2000s–Present): The major shift occurred with the founding of official governing bodies:
  
  • American Cornhole Organization (ACO): Founded in 2005, it began the process of standardizing rules and equipment.
  • American Cornhole League (ACL): Established in 2015, the ACL ushered cornhole into the mainstream by securing broadcasting deals with major networks like ESPN. This transformed the game into a professional sport with structured tournaments, professional players, and significant prize money.

 The casual corn-filled bean bags have largely been replaced in competitive play by weather-resistant bags filled with plastic resin pellets. This innovation ensures consistent weight, shape, and slide on the board, adding a layer of professional precision and strategy to the game. 

While "house rules" vary widely, here are the official standards for equipment, court layout, and scoring used in competitive cornhole.

Boards (Regulation) 48 inches long by 24 inches wide. Hole Diameter 6 inches, centered 9 inches from the top of the board.

Board Height Front edge: 3–4 inches; Back edge: 12 inches off the ground.

Board Distance 27 feet from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other.

Bags (Regulation)6 inches by 6 inches, weighing 15.5 to 16.25 ounces.

Pitcher's Box / Foul Line The foul line is the front edge of the board. The player's foot must remain behind this line during the pitch. 

 Format: Can be played as Singles (1 vs. 1) or Doubles (2 vs. 2).

• Pitching: Players must throw from their designated pitcher's box (the 3 ft × 4 ft area next to the board) and behind the foul line with an underhand release.
• Doubles Play: Teammates stand at opposite boards but in the same lane (not diagonally).
• Order of Play: The team that scored in the preceding inning has the honor of pitching first in the next inning. If no one scored (a tie), the team that pitched first in the previous inning pitches first again.
• Fouls (Dead Bag): A bag is declared "dead" and removed from play immediately if:
  
  • The player steps over the foul line during the throw (foot foul).
  • The bag hits the ground before landing on the board.
  • The bag is pitched out of turn.

Cornhole uses Cancellation Scoring, meaning only one team can score points per inning. The points of the lower-scoring team are subtracted from the points of the higher-scoring team. The difference is awarded to the high-scoring team.

Cornhole 3 Points (Bag goes completely in the hole)

Woody 1 Point (Bag lands and remains on the board)

Off the Board / Ground 0 Points (Bag touches the ground or is removed as a foul)