by Kenneth Hofmann

Created on: April 16, 2010   Last Updated: April 19, 2010

This up coming summer one thing that is for certain is wherever a family barbecue is present nearly every one of them will have some sort of cornhole competition.  You may ask what is cornhole? If you never heard the phrase before as some refer cornhole as bags or tossing sand bags.  They are all the same game so here is how you play.

First you need to make sure there are at least eight bags with four one color and the other four another color.  The bags are usually a cloth material  filled with sand, seeds or even beans.  The idea is having a bag that is light enough for virtually anyone can throw and flexible to where even a square bag will fall into a round hole.  If the bag does not bend or mend while thrown then the bag will less likely be able to fall in the hole.

Now you need two boxes that are about three feet long by three feet wide.  Some boxes are narrower than others or some are even longer than some.  It really depends on who is supplying the game as there are multiple types of boxes that can be used.  Some players might even just use a plank of wood with a brace that allows the plank to stand on a angle of about forty-five degrees.  While having a circle in the middle of the plank that is about sic inches diameter.

Now you have the boxes and the bags, but how far should the boxes or planks be?  Most people play with a distance of about twenty feet.  if you have beginners try moving them up, but for most people it is around twenty feet from the end of one box to the other.  Now you have the game set up so it is now time to play cornhole.

If your playing with just two people then a person must stand by one box while the other standing on the side of the opposite box.  If you have four people then it is two people to each box.  The game begins by one side throwing first.  You can either alternate between throws or have one person throw all their four bags, but most people play by alternating throws as the game becomes more competitive as each person is trying to throw the square sand bag into a round hole.

The game is to be played to twenty one and the winning team or side must win by at least two points.  Throwers get three points for each  bag in the hole and an additional one point for any bag that lands on the box or the plank.  If the bag hits ground first, then hits the box board or plank, then the bag is not counted as a point.  Now with two people throwing bags each player can negate points.  For example, the first thrower threw a bag and it went into the round hole that is three points. Then the second thrower throws his or her first bag and his or her goes in the hole too, so that first three points is now negated by the opposing player.  After each thrower throws all four bags is when the points are tallied and then the opposing side is now ready to throw their bags without walking back in forth to collect the bags that is why you have players on each box.

The game of cornhole is very easy to play and almost anyone can learn the game.  It is why the game has become so popular because the simplicity of the game.  In addition the game itself can be purchased for a feasible price in which makes it more attainable and easy to play. Honestly, people can make their own boxes and just buy the bags and that saves people more money.  In a economy like ours currently you might be seeing a hole lot of cornhole this summer. 

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