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10 Cornhole strategies and tips for beginners in 2025

Cornhole, also known as “Bags” or “Corn Toss”, is a popular and fun competitive sport that can be played by all ages and skill levels. This article will cover some basic strategies for beginners to help you improve your game and enjoy it even more. Read more about Cornhole in our complete guide.

1. The right grip and technique

One of the most important elements in Cornhole is having the right grip and technique when throwing your Cornhole bags. A common mistake many beginners make is throwing the bag with a straight arm, which can lead to an uneven and inconsistent throwing motion.

Instead, you should try to use a smooth and circular arm motion, with a firm grip on the bag. It is also important to maintain proper posture while throwing, with your feet side by side and your hips and shoulders facing straight.

2. Targeting with precision

Another important strategy for Cornhole is learning to aim with precision. This means you should try to hit the lower half of the board to ensure that the bag has a high chance of going through the hole.

To achieve this, you should practise throwing the bag from different distances and angles, and also try different types of throws such as “slide shots” and “airmail shots” to learn how to control your throwing motion and aim.

3. Varying your throws

Another important strategy for Cornhole is to vary your throws during the game. This means you should try to use different types of throws depending on the situation, such as using a high throw when you need to get over an obstacle, or a low throw when you are trying to hit a hole that is difficult to reach.

This requires practice and creativity, but it is an important part of developing your ability to adapt to different scenarios during the game.

4. Be careful with your throws

Another important strategy for beginners is to be careful with your throws. This means you should avoid throwing too hard or too often, as it can cause the bags to fly past the board or hit the board with too much force, making it difficult for the bag to go through the hole.

Instead, you should try to throw with a smooth and controlled motion, and be mindful of choosing the right type of throw for each situation.

5. Getting to know your equipment

Another important strategy for beginners is to get to know your equipment. This means you should try to get a feel for the weight and size of your bags, and also learn how different types of bags can affect your throwing technique.

It is also important to understand how different types of Cornhole boards can influence your throws, such as how the material and size of the board can affect the throw and, most importantly, the landing.

6. Understanding the points system

To win a game of Cornhole, it is important to understand how the scoring system works. Normally, you compete against your opponent, and each bag that goes through the hole scores 3 points, while bags that land on the board score 1 point, and bags that miss the board completely do not score any points.

You then calculate the points for the round by subtracting the loser’s points from the winner’s points. Below you can see an example that would result in 2 points for the black team.

Cornhole-rules-point-counting

7. Be prepared for the opponent's throw

Another important strategy is to be prepared for your opponent’s throws. This means you should try to anticipate where your opponent’s bags will land and be ready to pick them up or knock them away.

It is also important to observe your opponent’s throwing technique and try to use it against them by throwing your bags in a way that takes advantage of their weak points.

8. Have a gameplan

It is important to have a game plan to win a game of Cornhole. Practise and identify your strengths and weaknesses, and try to use them to your advantage during the game. Also try to anticipate your opponent’s throws and make the right decisions based on the situation on the board.

9. Use your teammate

Another good tip is to use your teammates in your strategy. In some Cornhole competitions, you play in teams, and it is important to make use of your teammates to gain an advantage in the game.

Talk to your teammates and find out their strengths and weaknesses, so you can work together to create a game plan that makes the most of each other’s strengths.

A good example is if one of your teammates is good at long throws, you can plan for that player to handle the longer throws while the rest of the team focuses on the shorter throws.

10. Have fun

Finally, the most important thing is to have fun! Cornhole is a fun sport to play, so it is important not to take it too seriously and to enjoy every game. By keeping a positive attitude and enjoying the game, you can focus on improving your skills and have a great time while playing.

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