Although cornhole has been called many things - Corn Hole, Corntoss, Corn Toss, Bean Bag, Bean Toss, Soft Horseshoes, Indiana Horseshoes – for those who have grown up with the game, and avid newcomers alike, the game is passionately referred to as Cornhole.
The origins of Cornhole are largely unknown. Some historians claim that corn hole was born in 14th century Germany and reinvented somewhere in the Cincinnati Tri-state area perhaps as long as 100 years ago. Although Cornhole enthusiasts can be heard to argue a number of theories, often based upon which side of the Ohio River they call home, one thing all can agree on is that corn hole is great fun for all ages and can be played anywhere!
Cornhole is similar to horseshoes, except that small bags filled with corn (called cornhole bags or corn bags) are tossed toward wooden boxes, rather than horseshoes toward sand pits. The boxes, called “cornhole platforms” or else loosely referred to “the boards,” have a six-inch circular hole in the center and are angled in order to catch properly-tossed corn bags. Contestants take turns pitching their cornbags at the cornhole platform until a contestant reaches the score of 21 points. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one that stays on the platform scores 1 point.
The game is generally played tournament style with an individual or team being named the cornhole champion at the end of the tournament. Cornhole is considered by many to be a great party, tailgating and outdoor game.