A Complete Guide to Cornhole Hole Game Distance

Have you heard of cornhole before? It’s a throwing game that can be played virtually anywhere if a flat surface and some open space are present.

The game is fun and easy to pick on regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity, which is why it’s a fan favorite. If you’re here to pick up on the rules, like how to play it, and the cornhole hole-to-hole distance, you’re in the right place.

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Cornhole: A Little Insight

Nobody knows for sure when or where cornhole was invented. Some people believe that it was invented back in the 14th century in Germany. Others think that it was invented by an Illinois tribe called the Blackhawk.

You may have not even heard about this game until recently, which is why you are here. That doesn’t say that you’re living under the rock, the game was somewhat dead until it suddenly resurfaced in Cincinnati (a city in Ohio) around 15-20 years ago.

The game was an entertainment method for NFL fans who arrived early to the stadium. Fans who came from other cities and states started taking that tradition back to their cities and, before you know it, cornhole became a thing again.

How to Set Up Cornhole to Play

The rules of cornhole are simple (and we’ll explain them in detail soon). The goal is to score more points than your opponent by throwing your bags (ideally) into the hole of the board. If you can’t, then your bag should land on the board.

You get three points for landing the bag inside the hole, and one point for landing it on the board without managing to let it go inside the hole.

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The Distancing (Adults)

Since cornhole is a game for adults and juniors alike, the cornhole game distance may differ.

Let’s begin with adults. You’ll need a rectangular area that’s 45 feet long and 10 feet wide. The back edges of the opposing boards should be 45 feet away. The front ones, however, should be 27 feet away.

There’s also the foul line, which makes your shot invalid if you step over. The foul line is located at the front edge of each board. The distance between the foul lines is 27 feet.

The Distancing (Junior)

The 27-foot distance might be a little difficult for kids, which is why their usual distance is 21 feet instead. The scoring system and the game rules remain the same, though.

The Full Guide to Cornhole

Now that we have the distancing out of the way, it’s time to break down how cornhole works in detail from beginning to end. We’ll assume that the game is played by two teams, with each team composed of two players. Here are the steps you should follow:

Step 1: Setting Up

Both boards are placed on a flat, non-inclined surface, with the front edge of each board facing the other at a distance of 27 feet. Each team picks a side on one of the boards, and their teammate stands on the same side, but next to the opposing board.

Each team is given four bags of the same color. Use any method of preference to pick which team begins first.

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Step 2: Start Tossing

Once the teams are formed, the throws are alternated between both teams (only the players standing next to the first board in this round).

You may throw the bag in any form you like, but you shouldn’t step over the foul line, which is located on the front edge of the board you’re standing next to.

If you step over it, your throw is disqualified regardless of where it lands. You also may not stand on the other side of the board or behind it. You may only throw from the side that you picked.

The throws continue until all bags are thrown for both teams. Disqualified throws don’t score and don’t return the bags thrown. For example, if you throw a bag while stepping behind the board, that point is lost even if it lands inside the hole of the opposing board.

Step 3: Calculate the Results

Once all bags have been thrown, it’s time to decide the winner of the round. As we said earlier, you score one point for landing on the board, and three when landing inside the hole.

However, there are a few considerations:

• Points are only scored after all bags are thrown, as the positions of the bag once thrown can be different from when the round is over.
• If the bag is hanging on the board and touching the ground, the point doesn’t count. It only counts when the bag is hanging but not touching the ground.
• If a bag is moved for any reason, the scoring is decided based on its last location. For example, if you accidentally push your opponent’s bag into the hole, they get three points instead of the initial one they may have gotten. Alternatively, if your throw tosses one of their bags out of the board, they get nothing.
• If the bag hits the ground first before landing on the board, the bag scores nothing regardless of where it fell on the board. The points are only scored if the first contact of the bag is the board.
• Bags may not be touched by hand once they are thrown. A touched bag gets disqualified.
• Any bag hanging over the hole but not falling completely inside of it scores one point, not three.
• Points from opposing teams cancel each other out. For example, if you have three red bags and two blue ones on the board, the score is 1-0 for the red team.
• The team that scores more points in a round starts first in the next round.

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Variations

There are a couple of variations to decide the winner. For example, the first is winning by scoring 21 or more points. Another variation is that you should get exactly 21 points to win. If you get 22 points by accident, the score resets to 11, and the play continues.

Another variation is that the team with the most points after 13 rounds wins. You may also create your own variation if you like, but it’s important that both teams agree on the variation they’ll use before the play starts.

In the End

Cornhole is a fun game that you can pick up and play with friends and family. Ideally, the distance between boards should be 27 feet for adults and 21 feet for juniors. It is, however, not set in stone, as you can adjust the distance to whatever feels most comfortable for both teams.

You may get it even closer than 21 feet to make it easier for younger kids or push it beyond 27 feet for an extra challenge. The most important rule is to have fun.