Everything You Need To Know About Cornhole

Equipment Required

There are two significant pieces of equipment used in this game: cornhole bags and cornhole board. Both of them have their dimensions and rules. 

• Cornhole Boards

Majorly there are two types of boards available in the market – tailgate size and regulation board. The prescribed size of the regulation board is 2 x 4 feet, and the tailgate board is 2 x 3 feet. The size of the cornhole board does not affect the cornhole rules, but the strategy will change according to the surface area of ​​the board. 

The tailgate size board is usually for parties, whereas the regulation size is for ESPN-level professional games. Always prefer the heavy wooden board over lighter portable ones. It shall weigh around 26 pounds each because the weight stabilizes the cross beam and minimizes bounces. The surface shall be smooth and lacquered to minimize drags. You must paint high gloss latex paint on the surface to make it smoother for bags to slide but not glide. 

• Cornhole Bags

This game is not played with ordinary bean bags; cornhole bags have their unique dimensions. The cornhole bag should have durable fabric, and the size should be 6.25 square inches. The weight of each bag should be 14 to 16 ounces. The material should be in color, which players can easily spot during the game.

Usually, most of the boards have their bags, but a set of double-sided resin or plastic pellet-filled bags takes the game to another level. The double-sided bag is necessary for strategy. The bag should have one sticky side to stick to the cornhole board and block the opponent’s shot. The other side should have a decent glide to slide directly into the hole. You can also make one at home by cutting a 12-inch canvas into two equal squares. Then, fill the bag with corn feed (2 cups) and carefully double stitch on all of its four sides. 

Strategy

Like in any other game, this game also requires planning and strategizing to win. It takes patience, level of skill, consistency, and determination to conquer this game truly. Of course, anyone can throw a bag and hope to win, but professionals know that there are plenty of strategies involved (and usually a little drinking) to dominate the game.

• Stance

It is crucial to figure out what stance works well for you. You don’t get to choose the side of the board, but you can always choose between being a stander (the one to stay at the place during toss) or a stepper (which takes forward and backward steps). You can prefer to be any of the two as stance is your grounding in this game.

• Throw

The best throw is the throw of a flat bag. You can control the landing of the bag and the speed of the throw. You can learn to spin and throw a flat bag with a consistent pace on the same trajectory with good practice. The grip is essential for spinning bags. The wrist movement should be minimum. There are many other kinds of throws in this game also. 

Bottom Line

Success in any game requires consistent practice and faith. To master this game, watch the pros, learn from them, make new strategies and keep practicing. Although some players prefer drinking to level up their game, you don’t need to. Bring this game to one of your next family or friend gatherings, and have a blast!