Cornhole Scoring & Game Variations – Complete Guide

If you’re just starting with Cornhole, the scoring still seems simple. But soon you’ll notice: there are different Cornhole game variants and scoring systems. In this guide we list all important forms, from official tournament rules to fun house rules for in the garden or at the campsite.

On this page you’ll read, among other things:

• How the official Cornhole scoring works (cancellation scoring)
• Which variants exist for recreational play
• What the “bust rule”, “skunk rule” and timed games are
• How to choose the right game variant for your group
• How scoring affects Cornhole strategy

For a complete explanation of all rules (distance, order, foul rules), also check the Cornhole rules page. Completely new? Then start with the Cornhole beginner’s guide.

Basics: how do you score points in Cornhole?

Regardless of which game variant you choose, the basics of Cornhole scoring are nearly always the same:

• Bag on the board (remains on the board after all throws) = 1 point
• Bag in the hole = 3 points
• Bag that touches the ground and then comes onto the board = 0 points (is removed)

You play with 8 bags per round (4 per team). When the round is finished, you add up the points. From there, the difference between the variants begins.

The most commonly used method in tournaments is cancellation scoring. We explain that first below.

Official Cornhole scoring: Cancellation Scoring

With cancellation scoring, the points of both players or teams per round are offset against each other. Only the difference counts.

This is how it works:

1. Add up Team A’s points in the round
2. Add up Team B’s points in the round
3. Subtract the lower score from the higher
4. The difference goes to the team with the higher score

Example:

• Team A: 2 bags on the board (2 × 1) and 1 in the hole (3) → 5 points
• Team B: 1 bag on the board (1) and 2 in the hole (6) → 7 points
• Result: 7 – 5 = 2 → Team B gets 2 points added

Game objective with cancellation scoring

• Usually you play to 21 points
• You can agree on: “exactly 21” or “21 or more is fine”

Where is it used?
Cancellation scoring is the standard scoring system in Cornhole tournaments and at the ACL (American Cornhole League / ACL Europe).

This scoring system has a big impact on strategy. Sometimes a defensive 1-point throw is better than a risky attempt at 3 points, because you only score the difference. You can read more about this in the Cornhole strategy guide.

Variant 1 – Straight Scoring (no offset)

With straight scoring, the points of both teams are not set off against each other. You simply add everything up.

This is how it works:

• Team A scores 5 points → Team A gets 5 points
• Team B scores 7 points → Team B gets 7 points
• No offset; both teams move forward

Who is it suitable for?

• Beginners and children
• Faster, easier-to-follow games
• Parties and casual play where the focus is less on tactics

Note: Games often go faster, because everyone keeps stacking points. The gap between teams can also become larger.

Variant 2 – Playing to 21 points (with or without “exact 21”)

The classic Cornhole variant is “playing to 21 points”. You can play that in two ways:

Option A: 21 or more = win

• As soon as a team reaches 21 or more points, it wins the game
• This is simple and quick to explain

Option B: exactly 21 points

• You must reach exactly 21
• If you go over 21, you drop back to a previously agreed number (for example 15)
• This makes the game more exciting and tactical

Make it clear before the start of the match which variant you’re using. This prevents arguments afterwards.

Variant 3 – Bust rule (over 21 = back)

The bust rule is a popular house rule, especially in the US. The idea:

• You must reach exactly 21 to win
• If you go over it, you “bust” and go back to a lower point total

Typical variants:

• Over 21? → back to 15 points
• Over 21? → back to the number of points you had at the start of the round

This variant makes the game:

• more exciting in the final phase
• more tactical (sometimes you deliberately don’t want to score too much)

For more tips on endgame strategy with the bust rule, see the Cornhole strategy page.

Variant 4 – Skunk rule (quick win with a large lead)

The skunk rule (also called mercy rule) is a way to end a game early when there is a very large lead.

Examples of skunk rules:

• Are you playing to 21? If a team is, for example, 11–0 or 15–0 ahead, the game ends immediately
• With a difference of, for example, 13 points, the game can automatically stop

This is useful in tournaments or with many teams, so that extremely uneven matches don’t last unnecessarily long.

Variant 5 – Timed games (e.g. 10 or 15 minutes per game)

In busy tournaments or during events you can choose to play not to points, but to time.

This is how it works:

• Set a playing time, for example 10 or 15 minutes
• Play as many rounds as fit within the time
• After the final signal, the team with the most points is the winner

Variants:

• Maximum time and a maximum score (e.g. whoever reaches 21 first or whoever is ahead after 15 minutes)
• Group stage on time, finals to 21

This type of game is popular at Cornhole tournaments with a tight schedule or many teams.

Variant 6 – Playing to a set number of rounds

Instead of to a certain number of points, you can also agree to play a fixed number of rounds. For example 8 or 10 rounds.

After the final round:

• You add up the total score of both teams
• The team with the most points wins
• If the score is tied, you play one extra round as a tiebreaker

This feels a bit like baseball or table tennis and is ideal if you want to stick to a fixed playing time per game.

Recreational house rules for extra fun

At garden parties and campsite games it’s fun to come up with your own rules. Some popular house rules:

• Bonus shot: if you throw 2 bags in a row into the hole, you get an extra throw
• Perfect round bonus: if you score, for example, 12 points in one round, you get an extra +3 bonus
• Team challenge: if you lose by more than 10 points, you have to do a fun forfeit (e.g. team photo, buy a round of drinks)

The most important rule: agree on everything beforehand, so everyone knows what to expect.

How scoring affects your strategy

The scoring system you choose determines how you can best play strategically:

• Cancellation scoring: difference counts → defensive block shots and control are very important
• Straight scoring: every point counts → going for the hole more often can pay off
• Bust rule: endgame becomes more tactical, sometimes “not scoring” is better than scoring too much
• Timed games: pace and speed become extra important

Want to learn how to adapt your game to the scoring system and situation? Then read the detailed Cornhole strategy guide.

Overview of Cornhole scoring & variants

FAQ – Cornhole scoring & game variants

1. What is the official Cornhole scoring?

Official matches and tournaments use cancellation scoring: 1 point on the board, 3 points in the hole and only the difference per round is added. Usually you play to 21 points.

2. What is the difference between cancellation scoring and straight scoring?

With cancellation scoring, the scores of both teams per round are offset, with straight scoring each team simply gets its own score without offset.

3. Do you have to reach exactly 21 in Cornhole?

That depends on the agreement. Many players play “21 or more is fine”, but you can also use the exact 21 + bust rule. Always agree on this beforehand.

4. What is the bust rule in Cornhole?

With the bust rule you must reach exactly 21 points. If you go over, you go back to a previously set point total (for example 15) or to your score at the start of the round.

5. Which scoring system is suitable for beginners?

For beginners and children, straight scoring or simply playing to 21 (without bust) is the easiest. You have less to calculate and everyone scores points more often.

6. Which scoring system is used in tournaments?

In tournaments, almost always cancellation scoring to 21 is used. You can read more about this on Cornhole tournaments.
Download the official American Cornhole League (ACL) Rules