You can always tell someone is from Ohio when they hear the word 'cornhole' and don't laugh like a little kid. If you are a resident of Illinois, Kentucky, or South Carolina, you have seen this game being played all over the place during the spring, summer, and fall. The game is known in other areas of the country as baggo, bean bag toss, or just bags. Whatever you call the cornhole game, most people find themselves addicted to the game from the moment you pick up the bags. It doesn't matter if you are old or young, fat or skinny, or male or female, anyone can play and excel at the simple game. Not only that, you can still hold a conversation while you are playing.

Where the game was started is somewhat unknown, most people assume it was started by a group of farmers with some spare corn and some spare time. In talking with people, it seems that most remember playing the game (or a variation) when they were younger. The point of the game is this. Setup two cornhole boards 27 feet away from one another, and have two opponents alternate throwing cornhole bags at the board opposite of them. Each player throws four bags a piece (4 colors to one team and 4 to the other) until you've thrown all eight bags. The scoring is pretty simple, a bag that's thrown in the hole is worth 3 points and the ones lying on the board are worth 1. When the round is complete, you count up all the points of each team and the winning team takes the difference and adds them to their total score.

You can opt to purchase the boxes online or you can pull out your lumber, hammer, and nails and make the platforms on your own. Regulation boxes measure 4'x2' and are made with 1/2" plywood and have a 6" hole cut towards the top of the board. A lot of companies will offer portable cornhole boards that collapse for simple traveling. In some areas of the country, namely Chicago, it is popular to use smaller boards measuring 3'x2'. These boards are a little tougher to play on because of the smaller target and because the pitch is slightly steeper. But, the one advantage is that unlike its bulkier counterpart, these boards actually fit in the trunk of your car and are easier for travel. The bags measure 6"x6" and are made with duck cloth and filled with 1 pound of feed corn.

Now, ever year there are more tournaments being announced and sponsored by various organizations. Anything from various cornhole associations, to bars, to charity events. No matter who sponsors it though, you can count on some big draws. An Ohio tournament was even televised and had hundreds of people linking up to test their skills against other players. For many, the tournaments are a way of finally seeing how good they really are. Most serious players have never had a chance to assess their level since they were stuck playing backyard games on their homemade cornhole sets. The tourneys are the perfect way to assess your skill level against other area players to see how you stack up.

Not surprisingly, companies have developed products to meet the needs of the growing sport. Since corn attracts critters and can get moldy if left outside, companies are now making weather resistant cornhole bags which contain plastic as opposed to corn filing. Other product developers have introduced scoring systems so you don't get into fights with your friends trying to keep score. Although its growing fast, many folks are simply drawn to the game because of its simple concept and nature. There isn't quite as enjoyable as playing bags on a summer evening with friends, perhaps that's why the game is so popular.