• Should be placed on a flat surface 27 feet apart (front to front).
• The cornhole board surface should be 2' x 4'.

The Cornhole Bags

• There should be 8 bags, 4 bags of each color. Consisting of 2 teams.
• Each bag should be 6 inches by 6 inches and have 1 pound of corn inserted into each cornhole bag.

Cornhole Game Play
Two (2) person teams, or partners, shall play. Partners shall stand at opposite cornhole boxes on the same side, from the perspective of a third person, and face each other, so there is no advantage given to one team.

• Each cornhole team shall have 4 bags of one color.
• All 8 cornhole bags begin at one end.
• A coin flip shall determine whitch cornhole team has honors in round one.
• One of the partners on the team who has honors shall begin play by throwing a cornhole bag at the opposite cornhole box.
• A cornhole player may throw from anywhere behind the front of the cornhole box they are throwing from.
• Game continues by alternating throws between the two opponent players until all 8 cornhole bags have been thrown.
• If a cornhole bag hits the ground then bounces up onto the board, that bag shall be taken off the playing surface.
• The next round starts when the other cornhole player on the team, which has honors, throws their first cornhole bag.
• The cornhole game continues until one team reaches 21 or more points.

Penalties
A penalty occurs when any of the following happens and the player who makes the foul loses a turn and the bag shall be removed if any landed on the playing surface.

• A cornhole players foot goes past the foot foul line, termed a foot foul.
• A player goes out of turn.

Scoring

• The score shall be taken after all cornhole bags have been thrown for a round.
• Points shall be given as follows.
  • 3 points for a cornhole bag that goes through the hole.
    
  • 1 point for a cornhole bag that is on the playing surface.
    
  • 1 point for a cornhole bag that is hanging into the hole.
    
  • 1 point for a cornhole bag that is hanging off the edge but not touching the ground.
    
  • 0 points for a cornhole bag that is on the playing surface, but also touching the ground.
    
  • 0 points for a cornhole bag that is hanging off the front edge and is resting on a cornhole bag that is on the ground (unless the cornhole bag on the ground can be removed without making the hanging bag fall to the ground, then one point is given).
• The cornhole team with the highest round score, adds the difference of the two scores to their game score.
• The cornhole team who wins the round is given honors to throw first in the next round.
  
• If both cornhole teams have the same round score then the game score stays the same and honors stays with the team who had it the previous round.

Who knows the “real” history of Cornhole?  Let’s settle it here. Ok maybe not.  The problem is that there are many different versions of the history of Cornhole. Most of the story tellers of course, all believe they have the real story.  I guess the actual history will probably remain a mystery.  I’ve laid out the versions that I have come across in my research, and I’ll let you be the judge.  If you have your own version, please share it below.  We would love to hear any other stories that are out there.

Cincinnati
Cincinnati is the true origin of the game.  At least that is what you will hear if your at a party in Porkapolis (a nick name for Cincinnati).  It may or may not be where the game really started, but there aren’t many that will argue its popularity around town.  It is estimated about 1999 that the game really started catching on.  It all started on the west side of town.  The story goes; from there it has been working its way across the Midwest.

Foothills of Kentucky
Pioneers could have played a version of the game in the foothills of Kentucky.  This would fit with the Midwestern popularity as well.  There are some that believe that this is where it all started.

Midwestern Farmer
This story gives credit to a Midwestern farmer named Jebediah Magillicutty.  It is said that Mr. Magillicutty started the game back in the 1800’s.

German Farmer
Did a German farmer bring the game to this country?  There are a number of stories that confirm this version.  This falls in line with the Cincinnati story which may give it some additional credibility.  Cincinnati is known for its strong German roots.  It is very likely that Germany could have been the actual origin, with Cincinnati still taking credit for starting the spread throughout the U.S.

Ancient Civilization
The tribes of ancient civilizations tossed rocks at holes in the ground.  This is yet another version of the ancient beginnings of the game.  This very well could have be the first time something similar to Cornhole was played.  This one however, seems to be a pretty far stretch from the game as we know it today.