How cornhole became a game night classic

Introduction: cornhole as a fixed game night tradition

Many families and groups of friends nowadays have a new regular guest at their game nights: the cornhole game. Whether it’s a summer barbecue, a birthday or a spontaneous Friday evening, the boards are brought out faster and faster. In this guide you’ll read how cornhole became a true game night classic and why it works so well as a permanent part of your game tradition.

If you’re not completely familiar with the basics yet, first read What is cornhole? – Basics & game overview or our ultimate cornhole beginner’s guide.

Why cornhole is such a good fit for game nights

Cornhole has a few characteristics that make it ideal for game nights:

• Quick to explain – new players are up to speed within a few minutes;
• Short games – a game to 11 or 15 points doesn’t take long;
• Flexible group size – with singles, doubles and rotation formats you can let almost everyone join in;
• Combination of indoors and outdoors – you can play outside, but also indoors in a larger space.

Moreover, you can easily combine cornhole with other games, such as card games or board games. In between, people play a quick round of cornhole while others stay seated at the table.

From barbecue to fixed tradition

In many families, cornhole started as a one-off game at a barbecue or party. But soon people notice:

• that everyone enjoys it;
• that guests ask about it (“do you have the boards ready again?”);
• that it’s perfect to get the evening going.

This way, cornhole naturally grows into a fixed tradition at parties and game nights. On the page Why cornhole is so popular you can read more about this snowball effect.

Formats for game nights: mini tournaments and rotations

To make cornhole even more fun during game nights, you can agree on a simple play format:

Small tournament

• Create a small bracket with 4 or 8 teams;
• Play short games (e.g. to 11 points);
• Winners advance, losers play a consolation match.

Winner-stays-on

• The winning team stays on;
• New challengers keep rotating in;
• You can keep a small “ranking” or scoreboard.

On How many people can play cornhole? you can read more about different formats and player counts.

Cornhole as a family and multi-generation game

Cornhole is one of the few games where children, parents and grandparents can easily play together:

• for children you can shorten the distance;
• seniors can play seated or with support if needed;
• teams can consist of mixed ages.

In Why cornhole is perfect for family parties you can read how to use cornhole for fun family activities.

Tips to turn cornhole into a fixed game night tradition

• Create a fixed spot – for example a corner in the garden or in the shed;
• Lay down the basic rules – this prevents discussions about scoring;
• Keep a scoreboard – with “champions” of the evening or of the season;
• Combine with other games – so everyone finds something that suits them.

Those who want to take it more seriously can work with seasonal standings or an annual “Cornhole Cup” within the group of friends or family.

Frequently asked questions about cornhole and game nights