The American Cornhole Organization

The Governing Body For Sport of Cornhole

 

 American Cornhole Organization (ACO)
 

American Cornhole Official Rules

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   American Cornhole Organization (ACO)
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Official Cornhole Rules and Regulations
   

The official sport of cornhole rules and regulations of the American Cornhole Organization (ACO). The rules and regulations allow the ACO to set cornhole tournament standards and sanction leagues. They're also here to help casual players take part in sanctioned events.

ACO Official Cornhole Rules Guide
Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Cornhole Playing Equipment (Boards and Bags) Chapter 5 – Player Conduct
Chapter 2 – Cornhole Court Layout Chapter 6 – ACO Tournament Play
Chapter 3 – Cornhole Scoring  Chapter 7 – ACO Ranking and Awards
Chapter 4 – Play of the Cornhole Game  

CHAPTER 1: Cornhole Playing Equipment (Boards and Bags)

The ACO recognizes two types of equipment:

  • ACO Certified Equipment – ACO Tournament Series Boards and ACO Pro Bags
  • ACO Approved Equipment – Not limited to ACO branded equipment – it need only comply with the criteria below in order to be ACO approved:

1.1 ACO Certified Cornhole Equipment

ACO Certified Equipment:  ACO Certified Equipment is limited to ACO Tournament Series Boards and ACO Pro Bags.  ACO Certified boards and bags can be found at www.AmericanCornhole.com.

1.2 ACO Approved Cornhole Equipment

ACO Approved Equipment Specs:

  1. Hardwood plywood playing surface measuring 47.5” to 48” x 23.5” to 24”.
  2. The playing surface has a minimum thickness of 5/8” with cross-section backing, or 3/4” with or without cross-section backing.
  3. Each Board in a set should weigh no less than 25 lbs.
  4. Each hole is 6” diameter, centered 9” from the top of the board and 12” from each side edge.
  5. The front of the board is 3” to 4” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
  6. The back of the board is 12” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
  7. The playing surface should be finished - sanded to a very smooth texture. There should be little to no blemishes in the wood surface that may disrupt or distort play.
  8. The playing surface can be painted with a high gloss latex paint or varnish. The surface should allow bags to slide when thrown, but not be so slippery that the bags slide back down the platform.
  9. Each bag is made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming. The bags should be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede. Each bag measures roughly 6” by 6” and weighs 15 to 16 ounces.

CHAPTER 2: Cornhole Court Layout

2.1 Cornhole Court Layout

Cornhole Court: A regulation size cornhole court is 8 feet wide and a minimum of 40 feet long and must have a vertical clearance of twelve (12) feet. This court consists of two (2) player’s lanes:

  • Lane 1: designated pitchers boxes, on the left side of the board when your back is to the scoring tower
  • Lane 2: designated pitchers boxes, on the right side of the board when your back is to the scoring tower
  • Cornhole Boards: Boards are positioned 27’ from the front edge to front edge of the board.
  • Cornhole Pitchers Boxes: A designated pitchers box is a 4’ x 3’ area at each end of the court and on both sides of each board; (4) boxes in all.
  • Cornhole Foul Lines: The front edge of the cornhole board is the foul line.
  • Score tower

Tip: If you’re playing outdoors, the sun can be a problem. Try a North-South setting to minimize this.

2.2 Cornhole Court Preparation and Maintenance

Every effort shall be made to keep the cornhole playing surface in perfect playing condition.  Players are responsible for making sure the court is in good playing condition prior to starting the match.

  • No foreign substance (such as Pledge®, talc powder, or baby powder) may be applied to the playing surface or bags by an individual player before or during cornhole play.
  • A dry clean cloth may be used to wipe down the boards prior to the start of the game.

CHAPTER 3: Cornhole Scoring

3.1 Length of Games

Traditional 21:  The game shall be played to the pre-determined number of twenty-one (21) points.  The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of a frame is the winner.

3.2 Terminology

  • Woody – Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame.
  • Cornhole – Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and passes through the cornhole board hole at anytime within the frame.
  • Foul Bags – Refers to any cornhole bag that has not been determined as a “woody” or “cornhole”, or was designated a foul bag as the result of rules violation.
  • Designated Foul Bags
    • Any bag pitched when the player has crossed over the foul line before the bag lands.
    • Any bag pitched without at least one foot completely inside the pitcher's box at the time of releasing the bag.
    • Any bag not pitched within the 12 second time limit.
    • A bag pitched from a different pitcher’s box than their designated pitcher’s box.
    • Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the playing surface.
    • Any bag that comes to rest touching the ground and the board.
    • Any bag which struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc.

3.3 Methods of Scoring

Cancellation Scoring:  The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is “cancellation” scoring.  In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent.  Using this method, only one player/team can score in each frame.

  • Woody:  Each woody is worth one (1) point
  • Cornhole:  Each cornhole is worth three (3) points

Example: Red achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes. Blue achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes. 7 points – 2 points = Red scores 5 points for that frame.

3.4 Recording the Score

No cornhole bags shall be moved before the scoring is determined.  If this decision is in doubt, a certified official shall be called and determine the scoring for the frame in question.

Recording the Score:  Players are encouraged to pay close attention to the score at all times.  Players are required to update their score on the score tower at the conclusion of each frame.  Players may call upon the Certified Official between frames if any discrepancy occurs regarding the correct score.

Calling the Score:  When a third party is being used to manage the score tower, it is the responsibility of the player/ team who scores in each frame to call out the score to the score keeper.  It is the responsibility of the players/teams to ensure the score is represented correctly on the score tower at the conclusion of each frame before moving to the next frame.

CHAPTER 4: Play of the Cornhole Game

4.1 Brief Overview of Singles and Doubles Play

\Singles Play:

  • Player A competes against Player B.
  • Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
  • Players start the game at the headboard and will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
  • Players then walk to the end of their lane to the other court, take score, and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.
Doubles Play:
  • Team A competes against Team B – each team is comprised of two (2) people.
  • Each team will stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
  • Players at the headboard will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
  • Players at the footboard will take score and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.

4.2 Pitching Rotation, Lane Assignments, & Bag Colors

The First Pitch, Lane Assignments, and Bag Colors:  The format of the tournament will help determine who tosses the first pitch in a game.

  • Seeded Tournaments
    • The player/team with the higher seed pitches first.  If playing best 2 out of 3 match, the higher seeded player pitches first for the 1st and 3rd game (if necessary), and the lower seeded player pitches first in the 2nd game.
    • The player/team with the higher seed plays in Lane 1 with the blue bags.
  •  Randomly Seeded Tournaments
    • The player/team winning the coin-toss pitches first.  If playing best 2 out of 3 match, the player winning the coin toss will pitch first for the 1st game and the loser of the coin toss pitches first in the 2nd game.  A coin toss will determine the player/team to pitch first in the 3rd game when necessary.
    • The player/team winning the coin toss can choose their lane assignment and bag color.

4.3 Pitching Cornhole Bags

Pitching

  • Players alternate pitching bags (one player at a time) until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.
  • A player must pitch all (4) cornhole bags from their designated cornhole pitchers box.
  • One foot must be completely within the pitcher's box at the time of releasing the bag.
  • Players must not cross the foul line with their feet before the bag has landed.
Pitching the Next Frame:
  • The player/team who scored in the preceding frame shall pitch first in the next frame.  If neither player/team scores, the player/team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain first pitch in the next frame.
Accidental Release
  • Any cornhole bag that leaves a players hand once the final step (if taken) and final forward swing of the delivery process has started, shall count as a pitched bag.
  • A cornhole bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final step (if taken) and final forward swing has started, shall not be considered a foul bag and may be picked up and pitched.
Pitching Out of Turn:
  • If a player pitches out of turn at any time during a frame, their pitch will be considered a Foul Bag and swept from the playing surface.
  • If the error is not discovered until after two (2) cornhole bags have been pitched, the frame shall continue and be score accordingly.
  • If no agreement can be reached, a Certified Official shall be called. The Certified Official shall either determine the scoring or void the inning and order it to be re-pitched.
Time Limits – Pitching and Scoring
  • Pitching – A player must pitch each cornhole bag within twelve (12) seconds of their opponent’s bag coming to rest.
  • Scoring – The frame will be scored 5 seconds after the last bag has come to rest on the playing surface.  Any bag that moves in position after 5 seconds will be scored based on its previous position.

4.4 Other General Rules

Moving Cornhole Boards and Bags:  A player can only straighten cornhole boards in between frames and with the approval of their opponent.  A Certified Official may be called to determine re-placement if a discrepancy is in question.  A player may only approach the opposite board during a frame under three (3) circumstances::

  1. A timeout has been called
  2. To Rake bags piled inside the cornhole board hole
  3. To Sweep bags (that are considered foul bags) from the playing surface
Timeouts
  • Each player is allowed one thirty (30) second time out per game.
  • A player may only call a time out when it is his/her turn to pitch.
  • Both players may walk to the other boards to examine bag position during the time out.
  • Players may not touch the cornhole bags or boards during a timeout.

Important Note: Official time outs may be granted in the case of a busted cornhole bag, equipment malfunctions, or other circumstances at the discretion of the Certified Official.  A player will not be charged for time out.

Raking Cornhole Bags:  If bags become piled inside the cornhole board hole and may interfere or obstruct with the next pitch or if there is question whether a cornhole bag would have naturally fallen through the hole, a player may request to “rake” the cornhole bags that have fallen inside the hole.

  • One or both players may walk to the other board and rake the bags from under the board (one player raking and one player watching.)
  • A spectator may be called to rake the bags if both players agree.
  • A certified official may be called to rake the bags if a discrepancy is in question.
  • Anytime 4 cornhole bags have entered the hole or piled bags are visible in the hole a player may request a “rake” and will not be charged a time-out.

Important note:  During raking, all efforts should be made to leave bags on the playing surface undisrupted, in their natural state, and to leave bags that may hang on the rim of the hole from falling inside the hole unnaturally.  If a bag is resting on a piled bag, and unavoidably falls into the hole as a result of raking, then it shall be counted as a “cornhole.”

Sweeping Cornhole Bags:  If a foul bag lands on the playing surface or comes to rest touching the ground and the board, it must be removed immediately.

  • If a player pitches a foul bag which affects any bags in play, their opponent has the option of returning all cornhole bags to their original position on the playing surface or leaving all bags as they are.

CHAPTER 5: Player Conduct

5.1 Player Conduct

On the courts:  A cornhole player/team while in competition, shall make no disturbing noises or movements that would distract the opponent or players on surrounding courts.  Other inappropriate behavior would include profanity, abusive language, obscene gestures, flipping bags, etc. The first offense shall call for a warning from the Certified Official or a Tournament/League Official.  A second offense shall call for a forfeiture of the game being played.  Any further offenses shall call for disqualification from the Tournament/Event.

Sportsmanship:  Any cornhole player who indulges in heckling or unfair rooting, uses profanity or abusive language, makes obscene gestures, or exhibits any other form of un-sportsmanlike conduct toward other players, Certified Officials/Tournament/League Officials, or others who are in the area of the courts, shall be subject to expulsion from the Tournament/Event and from the event site.

Giving/Receiving Player Advice:  It is legal for a teammate or spectator to provide advice on bag position and/or next pitch recommendation.

Dress Code:  Participants competing in Masters Series Majors and the World Championships of Cornhole will be expected to abide by the ACO Dress Code below:

  • Shirts cannot be sleeveless; cut-offs are not permitted
  • ACO or non-branded apparel must be worn*
  • Closed-toe shoes must be worn
  • Further dress code restrictions may be imposed by ACO Corporate if all entrants are notified no later than the 2 weeks before the event date.

*An ACO-PRO Jersey will be required at all ACO-PRO Invitationals, and encouraged at all other ACO tournaments. Contestants that do not comply may not be allowed to participate in the event.

Alcohol, Tobacco Products, and Illegal Controlled Substances:

  • Illegal Controlled Substances are not permitted at an ACO Event
  • Venue permitting, players can drink alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages while playing, but drinks must be placed outside the live court area, in a safe zone, or on a drink stand/holder.
  • The use of alcohol or any form of tobacco while in the confines of the courts may be prohibited for all contestants, officials, and scorekeepers at the discretion of ACO Corporate.  This rule may be enforced at any tournament, if announced in advance by the Certified Officials/ACO Corporate. Violations may result in the forfeiture of games.
Cell Phones:
  • The use of cell phones while in the confines of the courts may be prohibited for all contestants, officials, and scorekeepers at the discretion of ACO Corporate.  This rule may be enforced at any tournament, if announced in advance by the Certified Officials/ACO Corporate. Violations may result in the forfeiture of games.
Audio & Visual
  • The use of audio and visual equipment in the confines of the event premises may be used by the ACO.  Your presence in the filming/photography area constitutes consent to be recorded/photographed.

CHAPTER 6: ACO Tournament Play

6.1 What are the different types of ACO Tournaments?

Answer:  ACO Tournaments are divided into two categories –points and non-points tournaments:

  • Points Tournaments
    • ACO Masters Series Majors – Singles and Doubles
    • ACO Masters Series Regionals – Singles and Doubles
  • Non-Points Tournaments
    • ACO Invitationals
    • ACO Qualifiers

6.2 What is the ACO Masters Series?

Answer:  The ACO Masters Series is a world-wide Cornhole “league” in which ACO Members compete for points and prizes in Singles and/or Doubles tournament play to acquire or achieve a world ranking.   The ACO Masters Series is comprised of a series of points tournaments held between March and November each calendar year.  A player may choose to compete in singles and/or doubles.

  • ACO Singles Points Tournament – One-on-One Tournament play. Players competing in this tournament earn ACO World Singles Ranking Points (WSRP) based on their finish and are ranked on the ACO World Singles Rankings.

  • ACO Doubles Points Tournament – Two-on-Two Team Tournament play. Teams competing in this tournament earn ACO World Doubles Ranking Points (WDRP) based on their finish and are ranked on the ACO World Doubles Rankings.
6.3 What are the benefits of a player participating in an ACO Masters Series?

Answer:
  • Earn points towards your Singles and/or Doubles World Rankings
  • Win cash and prizes
  • Earn invites to ACO Invitational Tournaments
  • Earn seeding at various ACO Tournaments

6.4 Where do I compete to earn points?

Answer: You can compete to earn points at ACO Masters Series tournaments, which are comprised of:

  1. ACO Majors
  2. ACO Regionals
1. ACO Masters Series Major
  • Events in which players throughout the cornhole community come together at one location to compete for points and prizes.
  • Consists of a Singles Points Tournament and a Doubles Points Tournament. Additional divisions may be added to overall event.
  • (4) Masters Series Majors will occur during the 2012 season; all will be coordinated by the ACO Corporate Team.
  • These will be held at four unique locations across the U.S. tentatively scheduled for the months of April, July, August, and September. Official dates and locations will be announced on all ACO event calendars prior to the start of the 2012 season.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Of the (4) Majors held throughout the season, a player/team’s (2) best finishes will count toward their World Ranking Points total. Once a player competes in his/her 3rd Masters Series Major, their lowest score will be dropped from the list, and so on. 2. ACO Masters Series Regionals
  • Events in which players compete at a local level for World Ranking Points and prizes.
  • Consists of a Singles Points Tournament and/or a Doubles Points Tournament.  Additional divisions may be added to overall event at the discretion of the CO.
  • Coordinated by an ACO Certified Official in his/her local market at a location of his/her choice.
  • Held once a month beginning in March and ending in November.
  • Each month’s Masters Series Regional is identified by its surname. 2012 Masters Series Schedule:
    • ACO Icehole Classic – March
    • ACO SpringFling – April
    • ACO Cornhole De Mayo – May
    • ACO Great American Pitchout – June
    • ACO MaizeKraze – July
    • ACO HoleBash – August
    • ACO Cornhole Classic – September
    • ACO Hole-o-ween Classic – October
    • ACO TurkeyHole Classic – November
  • The CO may choose the date of the month for their Masters Series Regional, with the exception of the weekend that pre-scheduled dates of ACO Masters Series Majors are scheduled.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Of the (9) Masters Series Regionals held throughout the season, a player or team’s 6 best finishes will count toward their point total. Once a player competes in his/her 7th Masters Series Regional, their lowest score will be dropped from the list, and so on.

6.5 What is an ACO Invitational?

Answer: The term “ACO Invitational” refers to any non-points earning event coordinated by the ACO Corporate Team.

ACO Corporate is constantly working with existing and future sponsors to continuously add bigger and better events in order to reward ACO Members. Some ACO Invitationals may be open to all players, while others may require a player to have reached “Pro” status or to have reached a certain level of points in order to participate. ACO Invitations will be added to the Event Calendar as they are secured.

Examples of ACO Invitationals throughout the 2011 season:

  • Indiana Beach Cornhole Extravaganza – Over $13,000 in cash and prizes, Open invite, free entry for CornyForty
  • Hahana Beach Cornhole Classic I & II– $8,000 in cash prizes, Open invite
  • Monster Energy World Championship featured at Tailgate Bash – $7,500 in cash prizes, 150+ WRP invite
  • Texas Hole ‘Em – Over $6,500 in prizes, Open invite

6.6 What is an ACO Qualifier?

Answer: Tournaments rewarding participants with entries into the ACO World Championships.  An ACO Qualifier refers to any tournament, league, or event in which the prize is a ticket to the ACO Worlds. Qualifiers are open to anyone to coordinate and will receive all promotional benefits of the ACO.

CHAPTER 7: ACO Rankings and Awards

7.1 What are ACO World Singles Rankings?

Answer: The ACO World Singles Rankings is the list of ACO Members who have earned points competing in Singles Tournaments at Masters Series Events and/or have completed in an ACO Skills Challenge Rating (SCR). The list is arranged with players who have earned the most points at the top of the Rankings. The Word Singles Ranking Points are used to:

  • Position players to win cash and prizes
  • Earn invites to ACO Invitational Tournaments
  • Seed players at various ACO Events
  • Identify the CornyForty

7.2 What is the CornyForty?

Answer:  The CornyForty refers to top 40 players in World Singles Rankings.  Players earning a position in CornyForty at the conclusion of the ACO TurkeyHole Classic are awarded a Golden Ticket to the King of Cornhole at the ACO World Championships of Cornhole.

The CornyForty is seeded 1-40 in the King of Cornhole Bracket (Round 2) at the ACO World Championships of Cornhole. Any player finishing the end-of-points season ranked #1 is named “ACO-PRO Player of the Year.” The CornyForty may carry prize bonuses; CornyForty guarantees cash payout in King of Cornhole (reference slide 13 in the ACO Pro Tour Overview).

Visit www.kingofcornhole.com/worldrankings for overview.

7.3 What are the ACO World Doubles Rankings?

Answer: The ACO World Doubles Rankings is the list of the Teams (2 player per Team) who have earned points competing in Doubles Tournaments at Masters Series Events. The list is arranged with Teams who have earned the most points at the top of the Rankings. The World Doubles Ranking Points earned are used to:

  • Position teams to win cash and prizes
  • Earn invites to ACO Invitational Tournaments
  • Seed teams at various ACO Events
  • Identify the Top Gun 20
IMPORTANT NOTE: A player may switch partners during the season if he or she chooses. However, a new World Doubles Ranking spot will be created for each new team assembled. For example:
    • The Team of Kortney Borowitz and Dallas Parsley may be ranked 23rd and the team of Kortney Borowitz and Steve Myers may be ranked 75th.

Teams finishing the season in the top 20 of the ACO World Doubles Rankings, referred to as the Top Gun 20, will receive a World Doubles Ticket to the ACO World Championships of Cornhole and are eligible for additional prizes.

Visit www.kingofcornhole.com at the beginning of the 2012 season to view the ACO World Doubles Rankings.

7.4 What is a Skills Challenge Rating (SCR)?

Answer:  A Skills Challenge Rating (SCR) measures a player’s Cornhole pitching proficiency. A SCR is the average of a player’s three best Frame Games pitched throughout the season.

  • Frame Games are administered one player at a time.
  • An ACO Certified Official must be present. A second party may help the CO administer Frame Games, but the CO must sign each Frame Game Form and claim responsibility for each score submitted.
  • A Frame Game consists of 13 frames (4 bags thrown = 1 frame).
  • Each frame consists of a player pitching his/her four bags from one board to another. Players must pitch all four bags from the same side of the board in a frame.
  • Player’s pitching position alternates with each frame. For example, if Player A pitches from the right side of the board in frame 1, they pitch from the left side of the board in frame 2.
  • Traditional scoring is used. A bag on the board (“woody”) is 1 point. A bag in the hole (“cornhole”) is 3 points.
  • When 13 frames are completed, the score of all frames are totaled to determine the player’s Frame Game Score.

IMPORTANT NOTES: A player’s Skills Challenge Rating (SCR) is not completed and will not be added to the Rankings list until he or she has completed 3 Frame Games to be averaged.  The player’s SCR score is then combined with points the player has earned in Singles Points Tournaments to determine his/her overall ACO World Singles Ranking.  Each Team Member’s SCR score is combined with points the team has earned in Doubles Points Tournaments to determine the team’s overall ACO World Doubles Ranking.

Download the ACO Corn hole Rules Guide (basic)
Download the ACO Corn hole Rules Guide (complete)

If you would like to learn more about becoming an ACO Certified Official, request a complete ACO Certified Official Guide by emailing Eric at ehinerman@americancornhole.com or calling at 888-563-2002.

 
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