TEAM MATCH PLAY CORNHOLE RULES

HOW TO PLAY TEAM MATCH PLAY CORNHOLE | 4 OR 8 PERSON TEAMS

It’s all the fun of cornhole, with the added camaraderie of a team sport. Team Match Play Cornhole brings you an experience that levels the playing field, offers a dynamic game structure, fosters team chemistry, encourages strategic play, and ends with an epic airmail shootout for added drama. Try it out – we promise it’s worth your shot!

Players form teams and face off in 5 cornhole games and an ultimate Airmail Shootout to race to score 21 total match points.

Two teams (consisting of 4 or 8 players on each team), compete in 6 games of match play to determine the winner of the match.
The 6 rounds of play consist of:

• 3 rounds of doubles cornhole match play
  
• 2 rounds of singles cornhole match play
  
• 1 round of an airmail shootout

Each round of play is assigned a match point value. Teams compete to be the first team to reach a total of 21 match points to win the match.

A 4-player match requires between 1-3 cornhole courts:

• Games 1-2 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
  
• Games 3-5 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
  
• Games 1-5 may be played sequentially if fewer than 3 courts are available.
  
• Round 6 Airmail Shootout must only begin when the first 5 rounds are complete.

An 8-player match requires 1-5 cornhole courts:

• Games 1-5 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
  
• Games 1-5 may be played sequentially if fewer than 5 courts are available.
  
• Round 6 Airmail Shootout must only begin when the first 5 rounds are complete.
  

A All players must participate in the airmail shootout round. Players on both teams alternate tosses to score the remaining match points for their team, up to 21.
A bag on the board is worth 1 MATCH point.
A bag in the hole is worth 2 MATCH points.
There is no cancellation scoring.

The first team to reach or exceed 21 match points during the Airmail Shootout is the winner.

Two teams (consisting of 4 or 8 players on each team), compete in 6 games of match play to determine the winner of the match.
The 6 games of play consist of:
•   3 games of doubles match play
•   2 games of singles match play
•   1 airmail shootout round
Each game is assigned a match point value. Teams compete to be the first team to reach a total of 21 match points to win the match.

Depending on your layout, space, and time allocated to play, there are many variations to layout the court. The minimum layout requires one set of 2x4 cornhole boards, meeting official board specifications.
At least 2-3 courts are recommended for completing the match in an efficient amount of time. A maximum of 5 courts are required for team match play.

A cornhole court shall be a level rectangular area 10-12 feet wide and a minimum of 40-45 feet long. The court consists of two cornhole boards, designated pitcher's boxes, and foul lines. A minimum vertical clearance of 12 feet is recommended for indoor or sheltered cornhole courts.

The pitcher's box is a rectangle 4 feet by 3 feet at each end of the court, parallel with, and on both sides of the boards. Each player must remain in the pitcher's box while pitching a cornhole bag.

TThere are two sets of foul lines: open adult play and junior play for children 12 and under. The adult foul lines shall be defined as an imaginary line 27 feet between the front of each board. The junior-play foul lines shall be defined as an imaginary line 12-15 between the front of each board. Physically impaired adults or seniors may observe the 12-15 foot foul lines if agreed by all contestants. The foul line should be parallel to the front of the opposite board to meet ACA guidelines.

To eliminate distraction and safely separate activity, cornhole courts adjacent to each other shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide. A greater distance of at least 12 feet is preferable.
A 4-player match requires between 1-3 cornhole courts:
•   Games 1-2 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
•   Games 3-5 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
•   Games 1-5 may be played sequentially if fewer than 3 courts are available.
•   Round 6 Airmail Shootout must only begin when the first 5 games are complete.
An 8-player match requires 1-5 cornhole courts:
•   Games 1-5 may be played simultaneously on adjacent courts.
•   Games 1-5 may be played sequentially if fewer than 5 courts are available.
•   Round 6 Airmail Shootout must only begin when the first 5 games are complete.

OFFICIAL SPECIFICATION STANDARDS

The following dimensions and measurements serve to determine standards and specifications for regulation cornhole boards.

• Each cornhole board shall be 47½ to 48 inches long and 23½ to 24 inches wide, made of smooth plywood that measures at least ½-inch in thickness.
• The hole in each cornhole board shall be 6 inches (+-¼-in) in diameter. Its center shall be 9 inches (+-¼-in) from the top and 12 inches (+-¼- in) from each side of the board edges.
• The front of the cornhole board shall be 3-4 inches from bottom to top.
• The back of the cornhole board shall be approximately 12 inches (+- ¼-in) from ground to the highest point of the deck.
• The board finish shall be sanded to a very smooth texture, and there shall not be any blemishes on the wood surface that might disrupt or distort play.
• Application of non-permanent foreign substances onto cornhole boards is strictly prohibited. This includes talc, resin, spray, or powders.

OFFICIAL SPECIFICATION STANDARDS

The following dimensions and measurements serve to determine standards and specifications for cornhole bags.

• The cornhole bags shall be made from two fabric squares 6¼ x 6¼ inches with a ¼-inch stitched seam on all four sides.
  
• Bags should be made from durable fabric.
  
• The thickness of the bag when lying flat on a hard surface should be approximately 1 inch (+-⅛-in) thick.
  
• Each bag shall be filled with plastic pellets or corn feed. Finished cornhole bags should be roughly 6 inches square and weigh 14-16.25 ounces.
  
• All bags in a set of four shall be identical in color, design, or pattern.
  
• A player may not switch bags during gameplay unless a bag is damaged or broken during a match.
  
  • In the case of a broken bag during a match, an identical or equivalent set of 4 bags may be substituted for the player/team.
    

Prior to beginning the match, a coin toss determines playing lanes and sequence of play.
The team that wins the coin toss chooses either their throwing lane or the throwing order in the first inning of play.
The team that did not win the coin flip chooses the remaining option.

There are two types of points: game points and match points.

Games 1-5 shall be played to the predetermined number of 21 game points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of an inning is the winner of that game.
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 inning.

Bag In-The-Count (Woody): Any bag which comes to rest anywhere on top of the board. Each is worth one (1) point.

Bag In-The-Hole (Cornhole): Any bag which is thrown through the hole or knocked through the hole by another bag. Each is worth three (3) points.

Foul Bags: Refers to any bag that was designated a foul bag as the result of a rules violation. Each is worth zero (0) points.

Dead Bags: Refers to any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the board or any bag that struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc. Each is worth zero (0) points.

Match points are points that go to the overall match score and are what determines the match winner. Each team’s objective is to be the first to score 21 match points.
Match points can be earned two ways:

• The first way is by winning a game during games 1-5. Each game has a certain amount of match points that are awarded (see schedule below).
  
• The second way to earn match points is to successfully throw a cornhole bag into the hole or onto the board during the airmail shootout in round 6. 

Two teams, consisting of two players, compete against one another until a winning team is determined.
Players line up directly across from their teammate, in the same lane.
Each team stays in their designated lane for the whole game.
Players at the headboard alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all four of their bags.
An inning is completed when both players, pitching from one board, pitch all eight bags (four each).
Players take the score and players at the footboard resume pitching back to the other board.

Two single players compete against one another until a single winner is determined.
Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game.
Players start the game at the headboard and alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all four of their bags.
Players then walk to the end of their lane to the other court, take score, and resume pitching back to the other board.
An inning is completed when both players, pitching from one board, pitch all eight bags (four each).

The player or team who scored in the preceding inning has the honor of pitching first in the next inning. If neither player nor team scores, the player or team who pitched first in the preceding inning shall retain the first pitch in the next inning.
A player must pitch all four bags from their designated pitcher’s box.
Players must pitch the bag with an underhand release.
A player may not step over or contact the foul line during their pitching or release of a cornhole bag.
A player must wait until the previous bag has come to a complete stop for at least 2 seconds before pitching the next bag.
Players may not jump, blow, kick, or otherwise do anything that may affect the cornhole board or the position of bags during an inning.
Touching, adjusting, or aligning a cornhole board during an inning is prohibited. Players or officials may align the cornhole board between innings at the request of a player.
A contestant must pitch the entire match with the same hand or arm, except in the case of a medical emergency.

All active players from both teams must participate in the airmail.
To begin the shootout, all players from both teams line up at opposing boards. The team that is leading the match to begin the airmail shootout chooses which board they throw from.
Players may choose which pitcher’s box (L or R) they throw from. Players may switch pitcher’s boxes within the round if they choose.
To begin the shootout, Player #1 from the trailing team (Team A) pitches their bag. The bag is cleared from the board or picked up from the ground. Player #1 from Team B, then pitches their first bag, and the board is cleared.
Player #2 from Team A then pitches, clears the board, and Player #2 from Team B pitches. This pattern continues.
Each team must have all players throw once before players can throw again. Each player must stay in the same order as when they started the airmail shootout.
Each player must pitch their bag from behind the foul line.
Once a team reaches 21 MATCH points, the match is over, and the team wins the match. There is no rebuttal or second chance for the losing team.

Any bag which comes to rest anywhere on top of the board is worth 1 total MATCH point.
Any bag which is thrown through the hole is worth 2 total MATCH points.
Cancellation scoring is not used for this round of the match. Each bag in the hole or on the board is counted as its own match point. After every throw, the board and hole are cleared of previously thrown bags.

Lineups will determine player positioning and matchups throughout the first five games of play.
In a 4-player match, each player shall play in 2 games of the match. This includes 1 game in either Game 1 or 2 and 1 game in Games 3-5.  
In an 8-player match, each player shall play in exactly 1 position in the lineup.

During Round 6, lineups are used to determine tossing order of the Airmail Shootout.
A team that plays out of order during the Airmail Shootout forfeits the offending toss and automatically scores 0 points for that position in the lineup.

Foul bags and rules violations are divided into impacting fouls and non-impacting fouls. A player or official is responsible for spotting and calling penalties. When a foul occurs, a player or official must determine if a foul bag was impacting or non-impacting.

If the bag in question does not impact gameplay or any other bag in play, the bag is considered dead and is removed from play at time of infraction. This bag scores 0 points for the inning. All other bags remain in play.
No other movement of bags is permitted at this time.
The only person allowed to remove a bag from play is a court official.

If the bag in question impacts the position of one or more bags in play, it is an impacting bag foul.

• Leave the bag in question and all affected bags in play.
  
• Continue play until the end of the inning without touching or removing any bags.
  
• At the end of the inning, the team that threw the offending bag removes the highest value bag in play.

The only person allowed to move bags is a court official.

Example: Team A steps over the line during their 3rd toss of the inning. The offending bag knocks a bag from Team B off the board. Bags are not replaced or affected at this time. At the end of the inning, subtract the highest scoring bag from Team A from the scoring calculation.

• If 0 points were scored for Team A in the inning, no scoring updates are made.
  

The following are foul violations that must be spotted and called by an assigned judge. A foul is assessed to the offending team.

• Any bag pitched when the player has made contact with or crossed over the foul line.
  
• Any bag pitched when the player has started or stepped completely outside the pitcher’s box before the bag is released.
  
• Any bag not delivered within the 20-second time limit.
  
• Any bag pitched from a different pitcher’s box than the first bag.
  
• Any bag that is not pitched with an underhand release.
  

A player shall not touch, alter, move, or affect the board or any bags on the board or in the hole before scoring has been agreed upon for the inning.

• If this foul occurs amidst an inning of play, please refer to IMPACTING BAG section above.
  
• If this foul occurs at the conclusion of an inning, and before a court official has taken score, the non-offending team receives 3 points for each bag removed prior to scoring confirmation.
  

Any player that commits 3 or more fouls in a game automatically loses the match. The match ends immediately.
The non-offending team is awarded up to 21 points and wins the match.
The offending team ends the game with the score they have when the 3rd foul occurs.

Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the board shall be ruled a dead bag.
Any bag that struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc. shall be ruled a dead bag.

• Immediately remove the bag from play and continue the inning. The offending team is not assessed any penalty or foul.
  
• If the bag impacts another bag, remove the offending bag where it lies and leave the remaining bags as they lie and continue play. The offending team is not assessed any penalty or foul.
  

A bag that leaves a player’s hand once the final forward swing of the delivery process has started shall count as a pitched bag.
A bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final forward swing has started shall not be considered foul and may be picked up and pitched.
If players believe they have thrown all bags, clear the board for the next inning, but then realize they missed one bag, the inning ends. Points are scored as if the inning ended, and the missed bag is forfeited.
Any action or intentional use of a penalty that undermines the integrity of the game, as determined by the court official, will result in the player's disqualification and forfeiture of the match.