Reference

Official Cornhole Rules

The basic rules of cornhole are simple — but tournament play and casual backyard play diverge in important ways. This page covers the official rules used by the American Cornhole Association (ACA), American Cornhole Organization (ACO), and American Cornhole League (ACL), plus the common backyard variants you’ll encounter.

The board and the field

Board dimensions: 24″ × 48″ (regulation).
Hole: 6″ diameter, center 9″ from the top edge, centered horizontally.
Distance between boards: 27 feet front-edge to front-edge (adult tournament); 21 feet for junior and casual.
Pitcher’s box: 4′ × 3′ rectangle alongside each board.
Bags: 6″ × 6″, 15–16 oz, regulation duck-cloth or pro-style.

How a match is played

1. Set up the boards. Place two regulation cornhole boards 27 feet apart, front edge to front edge (adult tournament). For casual or junior play use 21 feet. Boards face each other; the angled fronts point inward.
2. Decide who throws first. Flip a bag or coin. The winner chooses to either throw first in the opening frame or pick a side. The loser takes the remaining option.
3. Pitcher's box and stance. Each player throws from the pitcher's box — the rectangular area beside (and even with) their board. You must release the bag from inside that box; you may not pass the front of the board.
4. Alternate throws. Players alternate throwing one bag at a time, four bags each per frame. In doubles, partners are on opposite boards and only one player from each team throws on each end.
5. Score the frame. After all 8 bags are thrown, score the frame using cancellation scoring (see /scoring). Loser of the previous frame throws first in the next frame.
6. Win the match. First team to 21 points (with at least a 2-point lead in some variants) wins. ACO and most casual play use straight 21; ACL uses 21 with no win-by-2.

Scoring (quick reference)

Three points for a bag through the hole (a “cornhole”); one point for a bag that stays on the board (a “woody”); zero for anything else. Use cancellation scoring at the end of each frame — full guide on the scoring page.

Singles vs. doubles

Singles: two players, one board each. Players switch ends after each match.
Doubles: four players in two teams. Partners stand on opposite ends; only the player on the throwing end throws in each frame. Teams stay on their ends for the whole match.

Fouls

Stepping past the front of the board during release.
Releasing a bag from outside the pitcher’s box.
Throwing more than four bags in a frame.
(Tournament) any bag that touches the ground before the board does not score, even if it bounces or rolls onto the board.

Fouled bags are removed from the playing surface before the frame is scored.

FAQ

What's the official distance between cornhole boards?

27 feet, front edge to front edge, for adult tournament play. Recreational and junior play is 21 feet.

How many bags does each player throw?

Four bags per player per frame. In singles that's 4 from each player (8 total). In doubles, only one partner from each team throws on each end — they switch sides between matches.

What's a foul throw?

A throw is a foul if the player steps past the front of their board or releases the bag from outside the pitcher's box. Some leagues also count any bag thrown out of turn as a foul. Fouled bags don't score and are removed before scoring the frame.

Are slid bags legal?

Yes — a bag may slide up the board into the hole or onto the surface, as long as it's thrown legally from the pitcher's box. ACO and ACA both allow it.

What is 'cornhole' for?

A bag that goes through the hole — three points. A bag that stays on the board surface counts as a 'woody' — one point. Bags that hit the ground first and bounce on are scored zero, even if they end up on the board.

What's a skunk?

A skunk is a casual rule where a team that's behind 11–0 loses immediately. It's not part of ACO/ACL/ACA tournament play but is common in backyard games.

Going deeper

See the scoring guide for cancellation scoring worked examples, the glossary for terminology, and the bracket builder to run your own tournament.