RUN A
CORNHOLE
TOURNAMENT.

Cornhole tournaments are the easiest tournament to set up and the easiest to run badly. Two boards, eight bags, and somehow it still ends with three teams arguing over whether a "woody" hangs over the hole. This guide walks through the actual decisions: equipment, format, scoring, brackets, and the small workflow tweaks that keep a backyard tournament moving instead of stalling.

Whether it's a charity event in the parking lot, a bar tournament with a $20 buy-in, or a backyard family-reunion bloodbath — the format is roughly the same.

What you need

• 2 boards (a "set") per court, set 27 feet apart, hole-to-hole. Regulation boards are 24"×48", angled at 12° rise (ACL specs). Backyard sets are usually fine.
• 8 bags total per match — 4 per team, in two distinct colors. Regulation bags are 6"×6", around 16 oz. ACL-approved bags are nicer to throw with but not required.
• A flat patch of grass, asphalt, or floor at least 30 feet long.
• A score system — phone-based (BTop, paper, or one designated scorer with a clipboard).

If you have multiple courts, double the equipment. Most bars and parks can support 2-3 courts in parallel which dramatically speeds up large brackets.

Scoring rules (the fast version)

Cornhole scoring is simple but it has one weird thing that confuses new players: cancellation scoring. Here's the whole rules in 60 seconds:

• Bag in the hole: 3 points.
• Bag on the board: 1 point.
• After both teams throw all 4 bags, you total each team's points. The team with more points scores the difference. The other team scores zero. (Cancellation scoring.)
• First team to 21 wins. You must hit 21 exactly — going over rolls you back to 15 (called a "bust").

Want to skip cancellation scoring for casual play? It's fine. Just play "live scoring" — every team scores every bag. It's faster and easier for casual events. Tell players up front which version you're using.

Singles vs doubles vs blind draw

Three formats. Pick one before signups open.

Singles

One thrower per side. Each player throws all 4 bags from one end, then walks down to the other end and throws back. Best for: small events (under 12 players), tournaments where players signed up alone, or bars where teams of 2 are a coordination headache.

Doubles

Two players per team. One stands at each end. They throw alternately, never moving. Best for: most tournaments. Faster than singles (no walking), more social, lets weaker players partner with stronger ones. ACL competition format.

Blind draw

Players sign up individually, then pairs are randomly drawn at the start. Best for: charity events and parties where you don't want pre-formed teams dominating. Levels the field. Adds a fun "who am I playing with?" element. BTop's draw animation is purpose-built for this — players watch their partner reveal on the TV.

Bracket format

Cornhole brackets work just like pool brackets — single elimination, double elimination, or pool play feeding a bracket. The choice depends on player count and time budget.

Two practical notes that everyone learns the hard way:

• Add courts before you add complexity. Three courts running single-elim finishes faster than one court running double-elim.
• Account for "bag retrieval time". A cornhole match with 4 frames (sets of 8 bags) takes ~10 minutes — but counting cancellation, missed bags, walking, and someone going for another beer, plan for 15.

The night-of workflow

1. Set up boards. 27 feet hole-to-hole. Mark a foul line at the front edge of each board — players can't step over it on their throw.
2. Run a sign-up window. 30 minutes is plenty. After that, lock the bracket. People who show up at minute 31 are spectators.
3. Run the draw. If it's a blind draw, do it in front of everyone — partner reveals are the best part. BTop displays the draw on the TV so the whole bar watches.
4. Run the matches. Assign teams to courts. Most operators forget to tell players which color bags they're using on which court — a 30-second announcement saves 5 minutes of confusion.
5. Track scores. One designated scorer per court is the safest bet. Phone-based scoring (BTop) lets the scorer hit a button and the TV updates live so spectators can follow along.
6. Crown a champion. Final match should be on the main court with everyone watching. Don't skip the trophy moment — that's the night the players will remember.

Common scoring questions

What counts as "in the hole"?

The bag must be entirely below the surface of the board. If it's hanging over the edge of the hole and visible from above, it's a "woody" — 1 point, not 3. If part of the bag is in the hole and the bag is supported by another bag (a "pusher"), it's still in if it would have stayed there without support. Replays are awkward; designate one scorer to make the call.

What if a bag hits the ground first and bounces onto the board?

Doesn't count. The bag must land on the board cleanly. Bags that hit the ground are dead, even if they end up on the board after a bounce. ACL is strict about this. Backyard tournaments often relax it. State your rule before play.

What about a bag that's mostly off the board?

If any part of the bag is touching the board it counts as 1 point. Hovering bags off the side don't count.

Do you have to win by 2?

No. Cornhole is hit-21-exactly to win. You don't need a 2-point lead.

What's a "skunk" rule?

Some leagues end the match early if a team reaches 11 points and their opponent has 0. Optional, casual rule. Useful for moving 32+ team brackets faster.

Common operator mistakes

• Not measuring 27 feet. "Eyeballing" cornhole distances ranges from 22' to 32' — and 5 feet is a huge accuracy difference. Measure once with a tape and mark with chalk or duct tape.
• Mixing bag colors. If two courts both use red+blue bags, players grab the wrong color halfway through. Use red+blue on court 1, yellow+green on court 2.
• Letting the bracket get out of sync with reality. If you're running paper, this happens by match 6. Use software (BTop or anything else) the moment you have more than 8 teams.
• Skipping a foul line. Without one, taller players just step closer and throw shorter. Mark the line clearly. ACL standard is right at the front edge of the board on the throwing end.
• Running too long a match format. A best-of-5 doubles match can take 90 minutes. For a 16-team bracket on one court, that's 24 hours. Pick race-to-1 or first-to-21 single-game matches for big fields.

Setting up cornhole on BTop

BTop supports cornhole as a built-in game type. The setup is the same as pool — pick "Cornhole" from the game dropdown, set bracket type, race-to format, and player count. The TV view shows the live bracket with cornhole-specific iconography (red and blue bag visuals during the draw).

The free tier covers a single-court single-elim cornhole tournament. Multi-court (parallel matches across 2+ boards), double elim, or longer race-to formats use the same $9.99 unlock token as pool tournaments.

If you want to try it for your next backyard or bar event — drop in. Free tier covers most casual cornhole nights.

Related guides

• Single vs double elimination — when to pick which
• Bracket sizes explained — handling 7, 13, 21 teams
• Multi-court tournaments — running 2+ boards in parallel
• Race-to formats — match length math