Cornhole Scoreboard
Count the bags each round — the board cancels them, keeps the running score and calls the game at 21.
How to use
- Step 1Play the round, then count what is left: for each team tap “in the hole” for every bag that went through and “on the board” for every bag still lying on it.
- Step 2Press “Score round”. The board works out both teams' points, cancels them against each other and adds only the difference to the team that pitched better.
- Step 3Tap “Share live” for a read-only link. Put it on a phone propped at the boards or on a TV indoors — everyone sees the score change as you enter each round.
How cancellation scoring works
Cornhole is scored by cancellation: both teams pitch four bags, both teams count their points, and only the difference between the two counts goes on the board. A bag that goes through the hole is worth 3 points, a bag that stays on the board is worth 1, and a bag on the ground is worth nothing. Only one team can gain points in a round.
Worked example. Your team puts one bag in the hole and leaves two on the board: 3 + 1 + 1 = 5 points. The other team puts nothing in the hole and leaves three on the board: 3 points. Five minus three is two, so you score 2 and they score 0. The running totals move from 0–0 to 2–0, not to 5–3.
When both teams pitch the same number of points the round cancels completely. That is called a wash: nobody scores, and the board records the round with a 0. A wash is common — one bag in the hole against three on the board is 3 against 3.
| What happened | Your points | Their points | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in the hole, 2 on the board vs 3 on the board | 5 | 3 | You +2 |
| 2 in the hole vs 1 in the hole, 2 on the board | 6 | 5 | You +1 |
| 1 in the hole vs 3 on the board | 3 | 3 | Wash, nobody scores |
| 4 on the board vs 2 in the hole, 1 on the board | 4 | 7 | They +3 |
Tournament rules and backyard house rules
The three American rule bodies — the American Cornhole League (ACL), the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) and the American Cornhole Association (ACA) — all use the same cancellation scoring and all play to 21. They also agree on the point most backyard games get wrong: there is no bust and no need to win by two. The first side to reach or pass 21 at the end of a round has won, even at 23–20.
The bust rule is a house rule, not a tournament rule, and it is fun: you have to land on 21 exactly, and a round that takes you past it drops you back to 15 (some houses use 11). Switch it on in the settings if that is how your yard plays, and the board will do the dropping for you. Win-by-2 is a separate switch — with the bust rule on it is turned off, because a score that can never pass 21 could never build a two-point lead.
| ACL / ACO / ACA play | Common backyard rules | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 2 ft × 4 ft, 6-inch hole centred 9 inches from the top edge | Usually the same — store-bought boards are built to it |
| Distance | 27 feet, front edge to front edge (12–15 feet for juniors and casual play) | Paced out, often shorter |
| Bags | 4 per player, about 6 inches square and roughly 15–16 ounces | Whatever came with the boards |
| Points | 3 through the hole, 1 on the board, 0 on the ground | Same |
| Winning score | First to reach or pass 21 at the end of a round | Often exactly 21 |
| Going over 21 | Nothing special — the game is simply won | “Bust”: back to 15, or to 11 |
| Margin | None required | Some houses play win by 2 |
What this scoreboard tracks
- Bags in the hole and bags on the board for both teams, round by round, with the cancellation done for you — you never have to subtract in your head.
- Running totals large enough to read from the other end of the yard, and a full-screen display mode for a TV or a tablet by the boards.
- A round history showing what each round was worth and the score after it. Tap a round number to fix a miscount; every later total is recalculated.
- Game to 21 or 11, optional win-by-2, and the backyard bust rule with a drop back to 15 or 11.
- Take back the last round, undo the last action, swap sides when you change ends, and rename the teams.
Tips for keeping score at the boards
Count the hole first. Bags through the hole are the ones people argue about later, and counting them before anyone clears the board settles it. Then count what is still lying on the board — a bag hanging over the edge but touching the ground is not on the board and scores nothing.
Score after every round, not every few. Cancellation only works round by round: if you wait and add up four rounds at once you lose the differences and the totals come out wrong. If you are running a tournament on several sets of boards, open one board per set, share each view link, and leave the links on the score table.
Questions and answers
Do you have to hit 21 exactly in cornhole?
Not in league play. The ACL, ACO and ACA all end the game when a team reaches or passes 21 at the end of a round, so 23–20 is a win. Having to land on 21 exactly, and dropping back to 15 or 11 when you go over, is a backyard house rule — it is a switch in the settings here, off by default.
What is a wash?
A round where both teams pitch the same number of points, so the cancellation leaves nothing for either side. One bag in the hole (3) against three bags on the board (3) is a wash. The board records the round and the score does not move.
How far apart should the boards be?
27 feet from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other for adult play, which is what all three American rule bodies use. Juniors and casual games usually move to 12–15 feet. The boards themselves are 2 by 4 feet with a 6-inch hole centred 9 inches from the top edge.
Can the other team follow the score on their phones?
Yes. “Share live” gives you a view link and a QR code to show; anyone who opens it sees the totals and the round history update as you score, and cannot change anything. Your edit link stays private and is the only way to change the score.
I counted a round wrong two rounds ago. Can I fix it?
Tap the round number in the history table, correct the bags, and save. Every total after it is recalculated, so you do not have to unpick the rest of the game.