Official Cornhole Rules

Team

  1. Team rosters shall include a minimum of four players.
  2. Each game in a match shall be played by only two players; extra players must sit out until the game is completed, after which they shall swap out players.  No one player shall play in a second game per match until all players present have played in a game. There is no gender requirement for playing a single game.
  3. Players may not substitute for each other during a game. Only after a game is complete may players trade out.
  4. All players must be registered with the team to play with that team, except in situations in which the team is short the minimum number of total players.  Unregistered substitutes are not permitted. Any team found to be playing with an unregistered player will forfeit the game. See: Late Registration below.
  5. If the team has fewer than 2 players overall available, that team may invite a registered player from another team other than their opponent as a substitute.  Gender substitute rules still apply.  This is permitted only during regular season games, and only if the team is short.  A substitute from another team may only be used in the event of absence, not for the purpose of allowing rests or breaks for individual players.
  6. Late Registration: a team may add players to the roster prior to the last regular season match provided the team captain approves with the league fee pro-rated for the remainder of the season + $10 late fee.  All players must be formally registered with the league and paid in full prior to playing.

Time

  1. Each match will last 60 minutes. Teams will complete as many games as possible in that allotted time period. The team with the most games won in the time period will be declared the winner.
  2. No new game will start after 50 minutes.  Games already in progress after 50 minutes will continue until completed, regardless of time remaining.

Rules of Play

Dimensions

  1. Pitching distance shall be 27 feet when space allows, but may be adjusted downward to fit the available space.

Equipment

  1. Each Cornhole platform shall be a 48" x 24" rectangle made of half inch plywood. ACA sanctioned tournaments should only be played with wooden Cornhole platforms as there is significant variance in play between wooden and plastic or other surfaces.
  2. The hole in the Cornhole platform shall be six inches in diameter and be centered nine inches from the top and 12 inches from each side of the Cornhole platform edges.
  3. The cornhole bags shall be composed of 6" x 6" cloth and weigh approximately 16 oz and filled with resin beads and compliant with ACL standards.  Teams may bring their own compliant bags, or may use the House bags.  See ACL's Approved Bag list.
  1. Contestants shall pitch from the pitcher’s box behind the 27 foot foul lines.

Play of the Game

  1. Every Cornhole / Corn Toss match is broken down into innings of play. During each inning of play each contestant must pitch all four corn bags.
  2. Players on the same team shall pitch from the same side of the lane, such that they are facing each other directly during the inning.

Scoring

  1. Corn Bag In-The-Hole - A corn bag in-the-hole (or Hole-In) is a corn bag which is thrown through the hole in the cornhole platform or otherwise comes to rest inside the cornhole platform (knocked in by another player or an act of God). A corn bag in-the-hole has a value of three points.  
  2. Corn Bag In-The-Count - A corn bag that is not in-the-hole but lands with any portion of the corn bag resting on the cornhole platform is in-the-count. A corn bag in-the-count has a value of one point. For a corn bag to be in-the-count, it must not touch the ground or any other portion of the court prior to coming to rest on the cornhole platform. If a corn bag touches the ground before coming to rest on the cornhole platform, it is a foul and must be removed from the cornhole platform prior to the continuation of play
  3. Corn Bag Out-Of-The-Count - A corn bag which comes to rest anywhere except in-the-count or in-the-hole is out-of-the-count and has no scoring value. A corn bag which is declared to be a foul is considered to be out-of-the-count (no matter where it comes to rest) and must be removed from the cornhole surface prior to the continuation of play.
  4. Traditional cancelation scoring shall be in effect.

Delivery of Bags

  1. The first side of contestants alternate pitching corn bags until they have thrown all four corn bags, then the remaining contestant (pitching from the other cornhole platform) continue to alternate in the same manner until all four corn bags are delivered and the inning completed. Delivery in singles play is handled in the same manner (but from the same platform) with each of the two contestants alternating their pitching of corn bags until all four corn bags have been pitched completing the inning.  
  2. A contestant may deliver the corn bag from either the left or right pitchers box (see above) but, in any one inning, all corn bags must be delivered from the same pitcher’s box. A contestant shall pitch the entire tournament with the same hand or arm, except in the case of a medical emergency.
  3. Each individual contestant shall deliver the corn bag within 20 seconds. The time shall start when the contestant steps onto the pitcher’s box with the intention of pitching.

Inning Change Over

  1. The contestant who scored in the preceding inning shall pitch first in the next inning. If neither pitcher scores, the contestant who pitched second (last) in the preceding inning shall pitch first in the next inning.

Foul Bags

  1. A foul corn bag is a corn bag which was delivered in non-compliance with one of the rules of the game. It scores as a corn bag out of the count and is to be removed from the Cornhole / Corn Toss court before any more corn bags are pitched. Corn bags already in the court that have been knocked into foul territory by a foul corn bag should be returned to the scoring area. Additionally, corn bags that are in the count, but are knocked into the hole by a foul corn bag must be returned to their original scoring position.
  2. The following are rule violations that must be spotted and called by a contestant or assigned judge. The penalty is to declare the corn bag a foul corn bag, which requires the corn bags to be removed from the court prior to resuming play. 

    (a) Any corn bag pitched when the contestant has made contact with or crossed over the foul line before the corn bag is released. 

    (b) Except as provided above, any corn bag pitched when the contestant has started or stepped completely outside the pitching box before releasing the corn bag. 

    (c) Any corn bag not delivered within the twenty second time limit. 

    (d) A corn bag pitched from a different pitchers box than the first corn bag. 

    (e) Any corn bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the cornhole platform. 

    (f) Any corn bag which struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc. 

    (g) Any corn bag that leaves a contestant's hand once the final forward swing of the delivery process has started shall count as a pitched corn bag. A corn bag that is accidentally dropped by a contestant before the final forward swing has started shall not be considered foul and may be picked up and pitched.

Scoring

  1. First Team to 21 wins the match.  No busts!  Upon a team reaching 21, they receive a point.  
  2. Players are responsible for keeping score of points in each individual round and also keeping score of rounds won.
  3. Each match score will be recorded by a League official.
  4. Ties At The End Of An Inning – If the Cornhole / Corn Toss match is tied at 21 or more at the end of an inning, play continues until one team or the other achieves a higher score at the end of an inning and wins the match.
  5. There is no mercy/skunk rule.

Officiating

  1. All questions of rule play will be directed to the league official.
  2. Unsportsmanlike conduct, including but not limited to throwing sandbags out of play, conducting yourself in an inappropriate manor, or excessive taunting shall be grounds for ejection. The league official has ultimate say.

Equipment

  1. All equipment, including boards and sandbags shall be provided by the league.

Forfeits

  1. Teams must be ready to play and meet game start requirements at the posted game time. Any team not ready to play at this time shall forfeit, and the opposing team shall take a default win.  Final score shall be recorded 3 to 0.
  2. If neither team is ready to play, both teams shall forfeit.
  3. Any team found to be playing with a player not registered with the league or team shall forfeit the game.

Playoffs

  1. Playoff game clock may be shortened in order to to be able to complete all required rounds within a reasonable period of time.
  2. In the event of a match tie, a tie breaker consisting of a single inning shall be played.  The team with the highest point total at the end of the inning will win the tie breaker (team does not have to reach 21 in the tie breaker).  If the tie-breaker is a tie, the tie breaker will be repeated.

Cancelation Policy

  1. Our cancelation and make-up policy is explained our FAQ.

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