How to Keep Score in Cornhole

Cornhole Setup: The Basics

Position two cornhole boards facing each other, aligned directly, 27 feet apart (front edge to front edge). Each team gets four bags in a distinguishable color. The objective is simple: be the first team to score 21 or more points.

How Points Are Scored

• In the hole (a “cornhole”) — 3 points
• On the board, “in the count” (bag lands on any part of the board) — 1 point
• Off the board, “out of the count” (bag lands anywhere else) — 0 points

Players alternate tossing bags until both teams have thrown all four — eight bags per inning. A bag knocked into the hole during play still counts as a cornhole (3 points), while a bag knocked off the board scores zero.

Cancellation Scoring

Points scored by both teams cancel each other out each inning. For example, if Team A scores 5 points and Team B scores 2, Team A nets 3 points that inning and Team B nets none. The team that scored tosses first in the next inning. Always let every player finish throwing before tallying the final score.

Optional Scoring Variations

• Skunk: a team can win early by reaching 7 (or 13) points while the opponent still has zero
• Play to 21 exactly: going over 21 reverts your score to 13
• Win by 2: victory requires a two-point margin
• Tie breaker: if tied at 21, keep playing innings until one team leads at the end of an inning

Cornhole Scoring Terms

• Cornhole — a bag in the hole (3 points)
• Woody or Boarder — a bag resting on the board (1 point)
• Nothin’ But Corn — a bag tossed cleanly through the hole without touching the board
• Corn on the Cob — all of your bags landing on the board
• The Great Cornholio — all four bags in the hole

Ways to Track Your Score

Keep a running tally with a score tower, a score strip attached to the board, a scoring koozie, or a cornhole scoring app — whatever keeps the game moving.