Some stories have it that the first Cornhole game was played in Germany during the 14th Century. Supposedly it was then reintroduced in Kentucky during the last century. Others say it was invented in Cincinnati, Ohio. Still, the creator and the location are unknown. The game started to gain popularity in the late 1990’s in the Cincinnati area when universities enjoyed the activity. Today it is popular in the Midwest and is a fun summertime past-time that has also spawned tournaments and other competitions for cornhole enthusiasts.

The Cornhole game consists of players taking turns pitching the cornhole bags. These bags are mostly cotton duck bags. Each bag is filled with feed corn. The player throws the cornhole bag at a raised platform. It has a hole at the far end and by throwing the bag into the hole, a player receives the most points.

If the player lands the cornhole bag in the hole there is a score of three points. If the bag ends up on the platform there is a score of one point. The first player to reach the score of 21 is the winner of the Cornhole game. Aside from the bag being tossed perfectly into the hole, a player can also receive the three points by sliding the bag into the hole or knocking the bag into the hole by using another bag. A one-pointer can be lost if another bag knocks it off the platform.

The game can also be played by a team of two people. The winning score still remains 21, even if there are four people playing opposed to just two people playing. This game is also fun for kids because it is safe and does not involve any type of tools or materials that may be dangerous. It is a great game to have available for backyard parties, birthday parties, or even for just having fun outside.

There are specific regulations in the Cornhole game. The platform must measure four feet by two feet. The back end must have a height of 12 inches. The front end can vary from 2 1/2 inches to 4 inches off the ground. The inside edge of the hole diameter must measure 9 inches. The player than stands a minimum distance of 33 feet from the cornhole hole.

Players throw four bags during each period which is known as an inning. The player must throw the cornhole bag within 20 seconds after stepping into the pitcher’s box. The Cornhole game can be played as either singles or doubles.

The Cornhole game has an interesting group of terms that are used. For example, ‘cornfusion’ is when players or teams cannot agree on the scoring of a certain inning. The ‘leprechaun’ involves a player attaining all four bags onto the board – however none of them go into the hole. The ‘ace’ or ‘cow pie’ is when a bag lands on the platform earning one point. Players do not like to receive a ‘Sally’ otherwise known as the ‘corn patty’ as this indicates the toss was thrown so weakly that it lands on the ground before ever reaching the platform.

Author Bio: Dave Roth runs the site http://www.outdoorgamecenter.com, a resource site devoted to the game of corntoss. The site features cornhole rules, cornhole sets, cornhole bags and boards.

Category: Sports
Keywords: cornhole, cornhole game, corn toss game, lawn games