How to Play Cornhole

• Place boards facing each other, front edges 27 ft apart for competitive play. For casual games, set the boards at any distance that feels fun.
• Flip a coin to decide who throws first. Stand behind the front edge (the foul line).
• Alternate throws until all 8 bags are tossed. Slide, block, or airmail.
• Score the frame: 3 points in the hole, 1 point on the board. Use cancellation scoring.
• First to 21+ wins. The last frame’s scorer throws first next frame.

• Boards: 24" × 48" surface with a 6" hole, angled ~11°. The front of the boards should be approximatly 3" high and the back sould be 12" high. All SEVA Cornhole Tournament boards are built to meet ACL regulations for size, hole placement, and construction.
• Bags: 6"×6", 16 oz, weather-resistant resin fill. Each team must uses 4 matching bags. All SEVA Cornhole Pro bags meet ACL standards for size, weight, and materials.
• Play Area: Level, open space for safe play. Play area should have at least 12 feet of vertical clearance.

Arrange boards directly facing each other so the front edges are the correct distance apart. The area behind the front edge is the pitcher’s box and acts as the foul line.

• Competitive play: 27 ft between front edges (official standard).
• Recreational play: Any distance that is comfortable and fun for your group.
• Juniors/novices: Move closer as needed for comfort and safety.

• Who throws: One player from each team throws one bag, alternating, until all 8 bags are thrown.
• Where to stand: Both feet must stay entirely behind the front edge of the board you’re throwing from.
• Delivery: Underhand toss. You may throw straight, slide, block, or airmail (direct to hole).
• Completion: After the last bag comes to rest, tally the frame and update the game score.

• In-the-hole: 3 points.
• On-the-board: 1 point.
• Foul bags: 0 points and removed from the board before scoring.

Cancellation: After all bags are thrown, compare each team’s frame total and subtract the lower from the higher. Only the difference is added to the game score of the higher-scoring team.

• Foot fault: Any part of a foot crossing the front edge while releasing the bag.
• Out of turn: Throwing before or after your turn.
• Ground contact: A bag that touches the ground before resting on the board (even if it bounces on) is a foul and must be removed.
• Interference: Touching a bag/board in play before the frame is over.

• Singles: 1 vs 1. Players throw from the same end each frame.
• Doubles: 2 vs 2. Partners throw from opposite boards; one player from each team is at each end, teammates stand directly across from eachother.
• Best-of: Play multiple games (e.g., best of 3) for match play.
• Tournaments: Round-robin into single/double elimination brackets. Seed by win-loss and point differential.

• Stance: Plant your lead foot and keep a smooth, repeatable swing — consistency beats power.
• Grip: Hold the bag like a pancake, not a taco or softball. A bag that flies through the air flat, lands and slides truer.
• Aim small: Pick a dimple on the board, not just “the hole.”
• Block & push: Learn to control your power, use a softer throw to place blockers and a harder throw to push and drag bags in.
• Mind the frame: Remember sometimes the smart throw is the safe one, an missed airmail can sometime cost more than the benifit of making it.

• Airmail: Straight into the hole, no board contact.
• Blocker: Bag near the hole to obstruct opponent’s slide.
• Slider: Bag that lands on the front and glides up.
• Wash: Frame where scores cancel to zero.
• Push: Throw that moves your bag(s) into the hole.