Tailgate Party Games: Cornhole

Cornhole is the staple game of any great tailgate party and probably the most popular. Like all great tailgate games, Cornhole was designed so that you can play while still holding a beer in one hand–which is not surprising considering the game was said to have been invented by 14th Century Germans and developed by farmers in Kentucky. Even Native Americans played a version of Cornhole and, as further research suggests, they played it with the Cornhole bag in one hand and with a maize-beer in the other.

Cornhole Rules:

Cornhole is super easy to learn and very fun. Two raised rectangular boards, each with a hole on the far end (the ‘cornhole’), are placed 27 feet apart (there should be 33 feet from hole to hole. Players take turns to toss bean bags towards the opposing board, scoring 3 points if the bag lands in the hole and 1 point if the bag lands on the platform. Points are calculated using a negation scoring method. eg. if Player A has 3 bags on the Cornhole board and Player B has 1 bag on the board then Player A would receive 2 points for the frame.
The first player to 21 wins.

Cornhole can be played as singles or doubles. In singles, after the players pitch a frame they walk to the opposing Cornhole board and pitch back to the board where they started. In doubles, teammates stand across from each other on the same side of their respective boards.
Despite what many think, there is no rule dictating the manner in which you toss the bag: overhand is just as legitimate as an underhand toss (though much harder to control for accuracy)

Cornhole: aka Tailgate Toss, Bean bag toss, corn toss, bag, bags.

Tips for the Cornhole player:

• work on your grip to ensure it’s not too loose or too firm. Keep the thumb in the center.
• lead with the foot opposite to your pitching hand
• learn different pitching techniques such as ‘the pancake’ or ‘horizontal spin’
• always ensure you have a beer in the non-throwing hand in order to balance yourself for the pitch.

Equipment: Two boards; 4 bags, scoreboard, drink holder.

The Best Cornhole Boards

Since Cornhole is the most popular tailgate party game there are many great boards available. It’s definitely possible to make your own and I’d recommend doing so if you’re handy with a lathe. For those of us who aren’t, here’s a list of the best Cornhole Boards and Bags money can buy as well as some awesome variations and the accessories you will need to play the game in style.

What to look for in a Cornhole Board:

• Watch out for boards with an inconsistent surface.
• The board must be sturdy and solid.
• You want a board that gives true bounce and has just the right balance between grip and polished smoothness for the perfect slide.
• There is a big difference between regulation Cornhole Boards and those not built to standard.
• Rounded edges help prevent tearing to the Cornhole bags.
• Portability is a plus. At minimum you want a board with folding legs.
• Durable and weather-proof so you can play in all conditions, outdoors and indoors.

Regulation Cornhole Boards

Natural Cornhole Boards by BestCornBags For those who appreciate natural wood grain or want to customize their Cornhole Board this beautiful piece of American craftmanship is built to ACA standard with quality materials and is sanded to an ultra smooth finish. This type of board works perfectly for those who want to paint or decal their team colors onto it as it’s essentially a blank canvas. This board is solid and built to last.

• Pros: High quality materials. Durable. Can be customized.
• Cons: No carry bag. Not a complete package.
• RRP: $110

The Baggo Cornhole Board – Officially Licenced NCAA Team Logos Said to be the best Cornhole Boards available these are backed up by a lifetime warranty. Made of very durable and weather-proof plastic this is a complete set that comes with two official Baggo NCAA logo game boards, eight official bean bags in your teams colors, 10 page color instruction booklet, wall mounting bracket (for storage & display), built-in scorekeepers, and distance regulator. BAGGO packs into itself & carries like a suitcase making it the most portable game on the market. It’s hard to look past this great set.

• Pros: Complete set. High quality. Weather proof. Lifetime warranty.
• Cons: Non-traditional plastic is more slippery a surface than most wood boards.
• RRP: $144.95 – ($119.95 on Amazon)

Go Pong CornHole PRO Regulation Size Bean Bag Toss Game Set (Black) This is a great set for anyone who just wants the complete package with no fuss. You get two regulation sized Cornhole Boards, 8 regulation weight bean bags, a carrying case plus a set of rules. These Cornhole boards are designed to be portable and fold in half for storage and have fold-out legs. They are lightweight but sturdy with a waterproof MDF surface and an aluminum frame.

• Pros: Lightweight. Durable. Portable. A complete set.
• Cons: The Cornhole Bags aren’t durable and are filled with sand rather than corn.
• RRP:  $129.99 – ($123.85 on Amazon)

Driveway Games All Weather Cornhole A very durable, regulation Cornhole set designed to be truly all-weather being injection-molded plastic and will likely still be in perfect condition next century. Don’t turn your nose up at the choice of materials though – this set still provides a decent slide and is as good as all but the most expensive wooden Cornhole boards. The Driveway is cleverly designed for portability and storage with clips to lock it and carry handles (there is even space to store the Cornhole bags within the folded board. As a white board it can be customized using your own decal (though most decals won’t adhere to the plastic as they may on other materials).

• Pros: All weather. Will last forever. Can take it anywhere. Lightweight. Easy to store. Customizable.
• Cons: Non-traditional plastic
• RRP: $94.99

Tailgate 360 Cornhole Set Tailgate 360 makes regulation Cornhole Sets that are extremely lightweight and portable with folding design, carry handles as well as score counters on the boards. They are good looking boards with durable construction designed for use on both flat and uneven surfaces.

• Pros: Lightweight. Portable. Everything you need in the set. Score counter on the board.
• Cons: Not as sturdy as more expensive sets (but also not as bulky).
• RRP: $69.99

 

Non-Regulation Cornhole Boards

Corn Toss Junior It may be small but it’s no light-weight. This little set isn’t just for the kids–the smaller size makes it a lot more portable, easier to store and means you can play indoors. It’s handmade from plywood with a gloss finish to accentuate the grain and all the joints are counter-screwed for a super strong fit. Or you could customize the board with your favorite team using paint or decals. The set is easy to fold up and store, comes with retractable rope handles and lock-in safety hooks. The set also comes with 8 cornhole bags and instructions on how to play the game. If you are buying this for your kids, you might consider adhering to the ACA recommendation for the distance between Cornhole boards for juniors to be 21 feet (rather than the traditional 27 feet).

• Pros: Quality Build. Complete set. Customizable.
• Cons: Not regulation size.
• RRP: $87.95 – ($59.95 on Amazon)

Mainstreet Classics Micro Bag Toss Unlike the Corn Toss Junior set, the Mainstreet Micro is designed for kids. Everything is miniature: the boards and the bags. It’s a solid build and basically a smaller version of a regulation set so definitely recommended for young children who want to learn the all-American game of Cornhole but don’t have the strength to play with heavier bags. It’s also a good set for indoors but there is only so high you can toss a Cornhole bag when there’s a roof over your head.

• Pros: Good set for kids. Well built. Complete set. Cheap price.
• Cons: Small – not recommended as a substitute for a regulation set.
• RRP: $35.99 – ($33.61 on Amazon)

Mattel Toss Across This is a fun alternative to the traditional Cornhole Board where the object is to be the first player or team to turn up three symbols in a row. Basically tic-tac-toe meets Cornhole! It’s a very lightweight, plastic set which is definitely indoors only.

• Pros: Fun alternative. Cheap price. Good for kids.
• Cons: Not true Cornhole. Not for outdoors.
• RRP: $19.99

The Best Cornhole Bags

Tip: Before you buy your Cornhole bags, be sure that the they are regulation size (6″x6″) and weight (16 oz/1lb)

What to look for in a Cornhole Bag:

• Tournament grade with regulation size and weight.
• High quality, heavy cloth like Duck Cloth
• High quality filling like Whole Feed Corn or regulation plastic pellets
• Strong stitching.

The Baggo Replacement Bean Bags – Officially Licenced Team Logos You don’t really have to look much further than Baggo for your replacement Cornhole Bean Bags. These are Officially licensed bean bags and are very durable being constructed of a heavy duty Poplin blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton with an all-purpose, dual duty, extra-strength thread.  The bags are surged on three sides and then reversed out.   The bags are filled with 9.5oz of treated unpopped popcorn for good weight and feel.

• RRP: $19.99

 

Victory Tailgate Cornhole Bags Victory Tailgate Cornhole bags are the real deal with regulation weight, size and shape. They are made of quality duck cloth and double stitched at the seams. Unlike many of the other brands, Victory Tailgate Cornhole bags are filled with whole corn kernels and made to the standards of the ACA. Made in the USA.

• RRP: $27.99

 

Becca Sports Cornhole Bags Another great American company who produces quality crafted Cornhole Bags. These are made to last with strong stitching and 12 oz duck cloth. They are regulation size and weight being filled with whole feed corn. Becca Sports also offers a one year guarantee on all of their bags and they come in many different color combinations.

• RRP: $28.99

 

Cornhole Games Cornhole BagsCornhole games produce great bean bags that are ACA regulation size and weight and come in a variety of colors. They guarantee their bags with a 30 day money back guarantee being made of heavy cloth, real feed corn and very strong stitching. They have many different color combinations such as yellow, burgundy, black, green, turquoise, orange, brown, grey.

• RRP: $19.89

 

Cornhole Games Waterproof Cornhole Bags Perfect for the outdoors these weather proof Cornhole Bags by Cornhole Games are regulation size and weight as defined by the standards of the ACA. But, unlike other Cornhole bags, if they get wet, simply leave them out to dry. Instead of a corn filling they are filled with poly-resin beads. They won’t mold, rot and get eaten by animals or bugs. There are many color combinations to choose from.

• RRP: $28.99

 

Victory Beer Print Cornhole Bags For the beer lover! These are more than just a gimmick though. The Victory Cornhole Bags are tournament-grade with ACA regulation size and weight. They are made of quality heavy duty cloth material, double stitched and filled with whole kernel corn. Oh, and did I mention they HAVE A BEER PRINT ON THEM!?

• RRP: $29.98

 

The Best Cornhole Scoreboards

Not all Cornhole boards come with a score counter built-in. And you definitely need an independent, reliable score-keeper after you’ve knocked back a few beers. Look no further: here are the best scoreboards for keeping score for your Cornhole game.

Scorzie – The koozie that keeps score Possibly man’s greatest invention… Scorzie is a scorekeeping beverage holder designed for tailgate games that go up to 21 points. Featuring two scoring rings that click into place and a foam lined koozie, the Scorzie is a scoreboard and beverage holder all in one! These are always a great hit at tailgate parties and the ideal gift. Just make sure you keep your eye on your Scorzie though since they tend to disappear if you leave them lying around.

• RRP: $17.99 – ($11.39 on Amazon)

 

Scoring King Portable Scoreboard A very robust, weather proof and nice looking scoreboard with an incorporated beverage holder the Scoring King Scoreboard is over 5 feet tall and only weights 4lbs. The counter goes up to 21 which make it perfect for most tailgate games including Cornhole. It even has a built in bottle opener located under the scoreboard! It can be pushed into the ground or placed into the optional tripod stand for hard surfaces. The scoreboard easily removes so that the beverage holder can be used anytime. The Scoring King doesn’t require any assembly. It’s made of welded steel and then powder coated with a very durable weather resistant black powder coated finish. With two supports it is the  strongest scoreboard for outdoor gaming on the market. It is designed to be left outside in any weather condition. 100% MADE IN THE U.S.A.!

• RRP: $49.95 – ($35.95 on Amazon)

 

Cornhole Overlay Magnetic Scoreboard The perfect scoreboard add-on for the Cornhole board that doesn’t come with its own scoreboard, this one attaches via powerful neodymium magnets. It’s super easy to install and will ensure that the integrity of your game will always be maintained no matter how much you’ve been drinking.

• RRP = $21.99 = ($16.99 on Amazon)

Cornhole Tips:

• When throwing the cornhole, make sure you use the right technique and you know how to control the distribution of weight (see below for cornhole throwing techniques).
• Playing on a softer surface like grass or sand leads to less bounce, making the game easier. You can simulate this on asphalt by putting a few towels under the legs of the cornhole board.
• Keep the cornhole boards at the right level to ensure the bags slide at the correct pace.
• Adjust the distance between cornhole boards to increase or decrease difficultly of play.
• More arc in the toss means less slide.
• Cornhole bags will slide more in dry conditions. Some players like this because it helps them get it in the hole. Others don’t since the bag is more likely to slide off the boards. Spray water on the bags to create drag.
• Most tailgaters are going to be playing cornhole in all weather conditions. Make sure you get a cornhole set that can withstand UV, rain, hail and a lot of abuse.
• Remember to keep a cold beer on your non-throwing arm.

Cornhole Throwing Technique:

Choose and master a throwing style that suits you. There are several different ways you can throw a cornhole toss bag and they all respond differently to physics, but should all lead to the same result: a high score.

• Fold Over: For beginners, start with the basic Fold Over throw: fold the bag in half with an even fill on both halves, then toss underhand. This will allow you to refine the perfect arc and distance.
• Softball Pitch: As you improve you can try a softball pitching style which is exactly like a softball pitch except the grip in which you should hold the cornhole bag flat against your palm with the thumb on the opposite side, directly in the middle, with an even spread of filling throughout the bag.
• The Double: Holding the bag by one of the corners and emptying all the fill into the opposing corner. Fold the empty corners diagonally, tucking them into you palm and then toss the cornhole bag underhand.
• The Sling: Pinch one corner of the cornhole bag and then ‘sling’ it towards the board with an underhand toss creating backspin. This can create a very accurate dead-stop throw with less slide.
• The Fling-a-Ding: The same as the ‘Sling’ except that you hold the cornhole bag by the edge rather than the corner.
• The Pancake: Also known as the ‘frisbee’ because of the throwing motion which is exactly as you would throw a frisbee, but holding the cornhole bag with the same pinching technique as in the sling toss.
• The Basketball Shot: Also known as the ‘jump shot’ you take a shot just like you would if shooting a 3 pointer in basketball.
• Overhand: Similar to a baseball throw and most often used for extreme, long-distance cornhole toss. It is generally less accurate than an underhand toss but great for getting distance and velocity.