2024 AFSL CORNHOLE PROGRAM RULES
1. The All Forces Cornhole Program shall feature three competition formats: Singles, Doubles, and Fire Team. Doubles will be our featured division and all events will host a doubles tournament. Singles and Fire Teams will be considered specialty events. Tournament Directors will establish formats prior to registration.
A. Singles: One eligible player. No substitutions can be made after an event has started. If a player must leave the event, all subsequent matches will be forfeited. A match may consist of one game or best of three games.
B. Doubles: Two eligible players only. No substitutions can be made after an event has started. If a player must leave the event, all subsequent matches will be forfeited. A match may consist of one game or best of three games.
C. Fire Team: Five eligible players. No substitutions can be made after an event has started. If a player must leave the event, all subsequent matches will be forfeited. A match will consist of three games, two doubles and the third game being a singles match. The third match will not be played if the same team wins both doubles matches.
2. Player Eligibility: All players must be eligible AFSL Athletes. For eligibility rules, please see the eligibility tab.
3. General Playing Rules:
A. Boards: Boards shall be made of wood and have a finished coat that features a smooth texture. Boards must measure 24 inches wide and 48 inches in length with a 2 to 4 inches in height. The hole must be 6 inches in diameter, centered width-wise. The center of the hole must be 9 inches from the back edge of the board. The front edge of the board shall rest on the ground and the top of the board should rest 9-12 inches above the ground
B. Bags: Players must supply their own bags for play. Each player must have at least one set of four (4) bags for tournament play. Tournament Directors will have limited number of certified bags on hand for rental or purchase. Bags must measure 6 inches wide and 6 inches long. Bags must weigh between 15.5 and 16.25 ounces with a thickness no less than 1.125 inches and no greater than 1.5 inches. Bags with holes that may leak will not be allowed. All four bags must be constructed of the same material and match in color and design.
C. The Court: A court is defined as the total area of play for a cornhole game
consisting of two boards. Pitcher’s box is a rectangle measuring 3 feet wide by 4 feet long on either side of a board. Lanes are defined as two pitcher’s boxes directly across from one another on two different boards on one court. Two boards should be located exactly 27 feet apart, from front of one board to front of another. The front edges of the 2 boards must face each other. The foul line is designated as the front end of the board, which is also marked by the front edge of a player’s pitcher’s box. If there is no marked pitchers box, players must remain at least 6 inches behind the front edge of the board.
D. The Game: Games are generally played to 21 points. A Woody is any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame. Each woody is 1pt. A Cornhole is any cornhole bag that has been pitched and passes through the cornhole board hole at any time within the frame. Each cornhole is 3pts. A bag that comes to rest touching the ground AND the board does not count as a point.
E. Scoring: Cancellation Scoring is preferred method of scoring for the sport of cornhole. 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 frame.
F. Rules: For Single player play, players will start in one lane, and stay in their designated lane for the whole game (right or left). Players start the game at one board and alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags. Players then walk to the end of their lane to the other board, take score, and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board. For Doubles, players play from one board and remain at that board for the entire game. Doubles partners must be in the same lane. Players must deliver the bag with an underhand release. Feet must stay behind the line of the front of the board at the time of releasing the bag. The player/team who scored in the preceding frame pitches first in the next frame. If neither player/team scores, the player/team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain first pitch in the next frame. If bags become piled inside the cornhole board hole and may interfere or obstruct with the next pitch or if there is question whether a cornhole bag would have naturally fallen through the hole, a player may request to “rake” the cornhole bags that have fallen inside the hole. Games will start with a coin flip to determine pitch side or pitch order.
E. Time Limits: If time limits are used, Directors will note tournament time limits prior to the start of the event. In rare occasions time limits are subject to change at Directors discretion during an event but the change must be announced prior the start of a match/game. Games/Matches underway during a time change will finish under the previous rule.
