How to keep score in cornhole | Tallynight Games

In cornhole, a bag in the hole is 3 points and a bag on the board is 1. At the end of each inning, the two sides' points cancel out and only the difference scores. The first side to reach 21 at the end of an inning wins.

At a glance

Players: 2 in singles, 4 in doubles
Who wins: First to 21 at the end of an inning
Each inning: 4 bags a side, and only one side scores
Boards: 27 feet (8.2 metres) apart, front edge to front edge

What each bag scores

Count the bags once both sides have thrown all four.

Bag	Points
In the hole, at any time in the inning	3
On the board when the inning ends	1
Touching the ground and the board	0
On the ground	0

A bag knocked into the hole by another bag counts 3, and a bag knocked off the board counts nothing, whoever knocked it.

Cancellation scoring

Both sides throw their four bags, then compare. The side with more points scores the difference, and the other side scores nothing that inning. Equal points cancel out completely.

Say Team A has two in the hole and one on the board, which is 7, and Team B has one in the hole and two on the board, which is 5. Team A scores 2 for the inning, and Team B scores 0.

The side that scored throws first in the next inning. If nobody scored, the side that threw first goes first again.

Innings and the end of the game

An inning, called a frame in league rules, is one player from each side throwing all four bags from the same end. In doubles, partners stand at opposite ends, so you always throw against the opponent beside you.

The first side to reach 21 or more at the end of an inning wins. In official league play there's no bust and no need to win by 2: finish an inning on 23 and you've won.

Backyard variants

House rules that change the score. Agree on them before the first bag.

Bust: you have to finish on exactly 21. Go over and you drop back to 15. Some tables drop you to 13 or 11 instead.
Skunk: a 21 to 0 game is a skunk, and some tables end the game early at 11 to 0.
The hanging bag: some tables count a bag hanging over the edge of the hole as 2.
Shorter boards: move the boards closer for children. The scoring stays the same.

A scoring example

A doubles game. "In" means a bag in the hole (3) and "on" means a bag on the board (1).

Inning	Team A threw	Team B threw	Inning goes to	Score, A to B
1	1 in, 2 on: 5	3 on: 3	Team A, 2	2 to 0
2	2 in, 1 on: 7	2 in, 1 on: 7	Nobody	2 to 0
3	1 on: 1	3 in, 1 on: 10	Team B, 9	2 to 9
4	4 in: 12	1 in, 2 on: 5	Team A, 7	9 to 9
5	2 in, 2 on: 8	1 in, 1 on: 4	Team A, 4	13 to 9
6	3 in: 9	2 on: 2	Team A, 7	20 to 9
7	1 in, 1 on: 4	1 in: 3	Team A, 1	21 to 9
Final			Team A wins	21 to 9

In inning 2, both sides made 7, so the points cancelled and the score stayed 2 to 0. Team A reached 21 exactly in inning 7, but 22 or more would have won too, unless your table plays the bust rule.

Keep score in Tallynight

Cornhole is set up for you: a running score, first to 21 wins. After each inning, add the difference to the side that won it, with + for 1 or 3 a tap, or tap the side's total to type it.

Add each team as a player for doubles. Tallynight offers to end the game when a side reaches 21. Playing the bust rule? Tap the side's total and take away what puts it back to 15.

Points per tap of 1 or 3
A big tile for each side, easy to read from the other board
Undo, and a scoring log to fix any inning
Offers to end the game at 21

Get Tallynight on the App Store: free, no ads.
Print a Cornhole score sheet if you'd rather keep score on paper.

Questions

How many points is a bag in the hole in cornhole?

3. A bag on the board when the inning ends is 1, and a bag touching the ground scores nothing.

What is cancellation scoring in cornhole?

Both sides' points in an inning cancel each other out, and only the difference counts. If you score 7 and they score 5, you get 2 and they get nothing.

Do you have to get exactly 21 in cornhole?

Not in official rules: 21 or more at the end of an inning wins. Some backyard games play a bust rule, where going over sends you back to 15, 13 or 11.

What is a skunk in cornhole?

Winning 21 to 0. Some tables end the game early when one side leads 11 to 0.

How far apart are cornhole boards?

27 feet (8.2 metres) from front edge to front edge in official play. Move them closer for children; the scoring stays the same.

Who throws first in the next inning of cornhole?

The side that scored in the last inning. If nobody scored, the side that threw first goes first again.

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