Game night · Scoring rules
How to keep score in cornhole
In cornhole a bag in the hole scores 3 and a bag on the board scores 1, but only the difference between the two sides counts each round. The first side to reach or pass 21 at the end of a round wins: under American Cornhole League rules you do not need to land on exactly 21.
How many points is each bag worth in cornhole?
| Where the bag ends up | Points |
|---|---|
| Through the hole | 3 |
| At rest on the board when the round ends | 1 |
| Off the board | 0 |
Each player throws 4 bags a round (also called an inning), so one side can score at most 12 in a round. A bag counts where it finishes: a bag on the board that a later bag knocks into the hole scores 3, and one knocked off the board scores nothing.
How does cancellation scoring work?
After both sides have thrown all their bags, add up each side's points for the round and subtract the smaller total from the larger. Only the side with more points scores, and only the difference. When both sides score the same, the points cancel out completely: players call that a wash.
| Round | Side A | Side B | Points | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 in, 2 on | 1 on | 5 v 1 | A +4 |
| 2 | 2 in | 1 in, 3 on | 6 v 6 | Nothing: a wash |
| 3 | 1 on | 3 in, 1 on | 1 v 10 | B +9 |
Do you have to get exactly 21 in cornhole?
No. Under ACL rules a game ends when a side has at least 21 at the end of a round, so 24-18 is a finished game, and there is no need to win by 2 either.
Going bust is a backyard house rule, not part of official play: some groups send a side that goes over 21 back to a lower score, such as 15. Agree on house rules like this before the first bag.
How do you keep cornhole score on the scoreboard?
- Set 2 sides and First to 21.
- After each round, work out the net score yourself: the scoreboard does not do cancellation.
- Tap the side that won the round once per net point: 3 taps for a net 3, none for a wash.
- The game ends by itself on the tap that reaches 21.
Because the board stops at 21, a side that finishes on 24 is saved as 21. If you want the real final score in your history, choose Open-ended instead and tap End match after the last round. Here is a full game, round by round:
| When | Team | Scoring play | Points | Score | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Blue | Blue 5 (1 in, 2 on) v Red 4 (1 in, 1 on) | +1 | 1–0 | Only the difference counts: 5 minus 4 |
| Round 2 | Red | Red 7 (2 in, 1 on) v Blue 2 (2 on) | +5 | 1–5 | |
| Round 3 | Blue | Blue 4 (1 in, 1 on) v Red 1 (1 on) | +3 | 4–5 | |
| Round 4 | Blue | Blue 9 (3 in) v Red 3 (1 in) | +6 | 10–5 | Red's bag in the hole cancels one of Blue's |
| Round 5 | Red | Red 6 (1 in, 3 on) v Blue 1 (1 on) | +5 | 10–10 | Level at 10-10 |
| Round 6 | Blue | Blue 7 (2 in, 1 on) v Red 3 (1 in) | +4 | 14–10 | |
| Round 7 | Red | Red 8 (2 in, 2 on) v Blue 3 (1 in) | +5 | 14–15 | Red back in front, 15-14 |
| Round 8 | Blue | Blue 8 (2 in, 2 on) v Red 2 (2 on) | +6 | 20–15 | Blue need 1 more point |
| Round 9 | Red | Red 5 (1 in, 2 on) v Blue 2 (2 on) | +3 | 20–18 | |
| Round 10 | Blue | Blue 5 (1 in, 2 on) v Red 1 (1 on) | +4 | 24–18 | Blue pass 21 and win 24-18: no need to land on exactly 21 |
The plus figure in each row is that round's net points after cancellation, not the game score. Each side throws 4 bags a round, so a round is worth at most 12 points. With First to 21 set, the scoreboard ends the game on the tap that reaches 21, so this game saves as 21-18; set Open-ended and tap End match instead to keep the full 24-18.
How the app handles it
The app does not work out cancellation, so tap only each round's net points, and a net 3 is 3 taps because there is no +3 button. There is no bust rule and no skunk rule: a first-to game ends only at the winning score, though End match can stop it at any time.
Questions
How far apart are cornhole boards?
27 feet, measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other. Each board is 2 feet by 4 feet, with a hole 6 inches across.
What is a skunk in cornhole?
A backyard house rule, not part of American Cornhole League play: the game ends early when one side gets far enough ahead, by a margin your group agrees before the first bag. The scoreboard has no skunk rule, so tap End match when it happens.
What is a wash in cornhole?
A round in which both sides score the same number of points. Under cancellation scoring the points cancel out, so neither side adds anything.
How many bags does each player throw in cornhole?
4 per round. A round is over when every player at that end has thrown all of their bags, and only then is the round scored.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
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