Bags & Beers Cornhole Tournament

This is the first annual Bags & Beers Cornhole Tournament.    

Proceeds from this event benefit the Florida Compassion Foundation.

The Tournament is limited to the first 200, two-person teams to register.   Teams consist of 2 members. ( ages 15 and older) 10% of every Entry Fee will go directly into the prize pool. There will also be trophies for the First Second and Third place.   With a full 200 teams, the first-place team will win $1,200. The second-place team will win $500 and the third-place team will win $300.

Every participant will receive a custom tournament T-Shirt.   You must wear your Tournament T-Shirt During your Tournament play.

Every participant will get 2 free beer tickets and pasta dinner on Friday night.     If you are still playing on Saturday morning, there will be a full breakfast buffet.     There will be inflatables and a climbing wall for the kids, and a 50/50 raffle.  We will also be raffling off a beautiful 2 seater Kayak.   Raffle tickets are just $5.00 and are available in or Tournament Store on the registration site.

We will also be selling the Custom Tournament Board Sets used in the tournament for $300 each set with the bags.   Proceeds go to our charity!  You can pre-buy and reserve your set in Our Tournament Store as well.

There will also be a live concert by R Anthony and 813 Live.   R Anthony turned 2 chairs on the hit TV show, "The Voice" and was coached by Cee Lo Green.

This is all part of the Publix Fall Championships.

Tournament rules!

Tournament APPROVED equipment will be used.

1. Hardwood plywood playing surface measuring 47.5” to 48” x 23.5” to 24”.

2. The playing surface has a minimum thickness of 1/2” with cross-section backing, or 3/4” with or without cross-section backing.

3. Each Board in a set should weigh no less than 25 lbs.

4. Each hole is 6” diameter, centered 9” from the top of the board and centered from each side edge.

5. The front of the board is 3” to 4” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.

6. The back of the board is 12” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.

7. The playing surface should be finished – sanded to a very smooth texture. There should be little to no blemishes in the wood surface that may disrupt or distort play.

8. The playing surface can be painted with a high gloss latex paint or varnish. The surface should allow bags to slide when thrown, but not be so slippery that the bags slide back down the platform.

• Each bag is made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming.

• The bags should be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede.

• Each bag measures roughly 6” by 6” and weighs 15 to 16 ounces.

Cornhole Court Layout

Cornhole Court: A regulation size cornhole court is 8 feet wide and 40 feet long. 

This court consists of two (2) player’s lanes:

Lane 1: Designated pitchers boxes, on the left side of the board when your back is to the scoring tower

Lane 2: Designated pitchers boxes, on the right side of the board when your back is to the scoring tower

Cornhole Boards: Boards are positioned 27’ from the front edge to the front edge of the board.

Cornhole Pitchers Boxes: A designated pitchers box is a 4’ x 3’ area at each end of the court and on both sides of each board; (4) boxes in all.

Cornhole Foul Lines: The front edge of the cornhole board is the foul line.

Score tower

No foreign substance (such as Pledge®, talc powder, baby powder, silicone sprays) may be applied to the playing surface or bags by an individual player before or during cornhole play.

A dry clean cloth may be used to wipe down the boards prior to the start of the game.

 Cornhole Scoring

LENGTH OF GAMES

The game shall be played to the pre-determined number of twenty-one (21) points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of a frame is the winner.

CORNHOLE SCORING – BAG TERMS

Woody – Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame.

Cornhole – Refers to any cornhole bag that has been pitched and passes through the cornhole board hole at any time within the frame.

Foul Bags – Refers to any cornhole bag that has not been determined as a “woody” or “cornhole”, or was designated a foul bag as the result of a rules violation.

DESIGNATED FOUL BAGS

Any bag pitched without at least one foot or appendage completely inside the pitcher’s box at the time of release.

Any bag not pitched within the 15 second time limit.

A bag pitched from a different pitcher’s box than their designated pitcher’s box.

Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the playing surface.

Any bag that comes to rest touching the ground and the board.

METHODS OF SCORING

Cancellation Scoring: The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is “cancellation” scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player/team can score in each frame.

Woody: Each woody is worth one (1) point

Cornhole: Each cornhole is worth three (3) points

Example:

Red achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes during the frame (7 total pts)

Blue achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes during the frame (2 total pts)

7 points – 2 points = Red scores 5 points for that frame

RECORDING THE SCORE

No cornhole bags shall be moved before the scoring is determined. If this decision is in doubt, a Tournament Official shall be called to determine the scoring for the frame in question.

Recording the Score: Players are encouraged to pay close attention to the score at all times. Tournament Officials are required to update the score on the scoring tower at the conclusion of each frame. Players may call upon the Tournament Official between frames if any discrepancy occurs regarding the correct score.

Play of the Cornhole Game
DOUBLES PLAY

Team A competes against Team B – Each team is comprised of two (2) people.

Each team will stay in its designated lane for the whole game.

Players at the headboard will alternate pitching bags until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.

Players at the footboard will take score and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.

PITCHING ROTATION, LANE ASSIGNMENTS, & BAG COLOR
The First Pitch, Lane Assignments, and Bag Color: A coin flip will determine first pitch, lane assignments, and bag color.

This Tournament will be playing best 2 out of 3 matches, the First Pitch and Pre-Match option choices go to the coin toss loser in the second game. If a third game is necessary, another coin toss will decide who has the options.

PITCHING CORNHOLE BAGS

Players alternate pitching bags (one player at a time) until each player has pitched all (4) of his/her bags.

A player must pitch all (4) cornhole bags from their designated cornhole pitchers box.

Players must deliver the bag with an under-hand release.

One foot or appendage must be completely within the pitcher's box at the time of releasing the bag.

When pitching a bag, players must release the bag before any part of the player’s body touches the ground on or beyond the foul line

Pitching the Next Frame:

The player/team who scored in the preceding frame shall pitch first in the next frame. If neither player/team scores, the player/team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain the first pitch in the next frame.

Accidental Release

Any cornhole bag that leaves a player's hand once the final step (if taken) and final forward swing of the delivery process has started, shall count as a pitched bag.

A cornhole bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final step (if taken) and final forward swing has started, shall not be considered a foul bag and may be picked up and pitched.

Pitching Out of Turn:

If a player pitches out of turn at any time during a frame, their pitch will be considered a Foul Bag and swept from the playing surface.

If the out-of-turn bag affects any bags in play, their opponent has the option of returning all cornhole bags to their original position on the playing surface or leaving all bags as they are.

If the error is not discovered until after two (2) cornhole bags have been pitched, the frame shall continue and be score accordingly.

If no agreement can be reached, a Tournament Official shall be called. The Tournament Official shall either determine the scoring or void the inning and order it to be repitched.

Touching the bags before the Frame is complete:

If any bags in scoring positions (woodies or cornholes) are touched by a player, whether intentionally or unintentionally, before all bags during the frame are pitched, the frame is over.

The offending team (the team who touches the bags) forfeits all remaining bags and tallies the score for the bags they have already thrown during the frame

The non-offending team tallies 12 points as if they had thrown 4 cornholes during the frame.

IMPORTANT NOTE: 12 pts are NOT automatically added to the overall score(scoreboard). The 12 pts are only used within this specific frame before cancellation.

EXAMPLE:

Red has thrown 3 bags equaling 5 points to this point in the frame

Blue has thrown 3 bags equaling 8 points to this point in the frame

Blue accidentally reaches down and grabs the bags

The frame is over

Blue’s remaining bag is declared dead and their previous points are tallied

Red tallies 12 points for the frame, as if they had thrown 4 cornholes

12 Red points – 8 Blue points

Red scores 4 points for that frame

Time Limits – Pitching and Scoring

Pitching

A player must pitch each cornhole bag within fifteen (15) seconds of their opponent’s bag coming to rest.

* Exceptions may be made by the Tournament Official considering any physical disabilities or difficulties

Scoring

The frame will be scored 5 seconds after the last bag is pitched, comes to rest, and all bags on the playing surface have stopped moving. Any bag that moves in position after 5 seconds will be scored based on its previous position.

If timing cannot be agreed on, the Certified Official will score or negate the frame.

OTHER GENERAL RULES
Moving Cornhole Boards and Bags:

A player can only straighten cornhole boards in-between frames and with the approval of their opponent and a Tournament Official. A Tournament Official mustbe called to determine re-placement if a discrepancy is in question.

A player may never cross the foul line and approach the opposite board during a frame. This can only be done during a Time Out.

Timeouts

Each player or team is allowed two 1 minute time outs per game.

A player may only call a time out when it is his/her turn to pitch.

Both players may walk to the other boards to examine bag positions during the time out.

Players may not touch the cornhole bags or boards during a timeout.

Important Note: Tournament Official time outs may be granted in the case of a busted cornhole bag, equipment malfunctions, or other circumstances at the discretion of the Certified Official. A player will not be charged for time out.

Raking Cornhole Bags

If bags become piled inside the cornhole board hole and may interfere or obstruct the next pitch or if there is a question as to whether a cornhole bag would have naturally fallen through the hole, a player may request to “rake” the cornhole bags that have fallen inside the hole. To request a rake, the player must audibly ask the Tournament Official.

A tournament official must be called to rake the bags if a discrepancy is in question.

Anytime 4 cornhole bags have entered the hole or piled bags are visible in the hole a player may request a “rake” and will not be charged a time-out.

Important note: During raking, all efforts should be made to leave bags on the playing surface undisrupted, in their natural state, and to leave bags that may hang on the rim of the hole from falling inside the hole unnaturally. If a bag is resting on a piled bag, and unavoidably falls into the hole as a result of raking, then it shall be counted as a “cornhole.”

Sweeping Cornhole Bags

If a foul bag lands on the playing surface or comes to rest touching the ground and the board, it must be removed immediately.

If a player pitches a foul bag which affects any bags in play, their opponent has the option of returning all cornhole bags to their original position on the playing surface or leaving all bags as they are.

PLAYER CONDUCT

On the Courts

A cornhole player/team while in the competition shall make no disturbing noises or movements that would distract the opponent or players on surrounding courts. Other inappropriate behavior would include profanity, abusive language, obscene gestures, flipping bags, etc.

Penalties

A player may call on a Tournament Official to enforce a rule at any time. If the Tournament Official deems action is required:

– The first offense shall call for a warning from the Tournament Official.

– A second offense shall call for a second and final warning.

– A third offense shall call for forfeiture of the game being played.

– Any further offenses may call for disqualification from the Tournament/Event.

Sportsmanship

Any cornhole player who indulges in heckling or unfair rooting uses profanity or abusive language, makes obscene gestures, or exhibits any other form of unsportsmanlike conduct toward other players, Certified Officials/Tournament/League Officials, or others who are in the area of the courts, shall be subject to expulsion from the Tournament/Event and from the event site by the Nort Port Police Department.

Giving/Receiving Player Advice

It is legal for a teammate or spectator to provide advice on bag position and/or next pitch recommendation.

Dress Code

Participants competing in Bags and Beers Cornhole Tournament mu abide by the following dress code.

Your Tournament t-Shirt must be worn.

Shirts cannot be sleeveless; cut-offs are not permitted

Bags and Beers branded apparel must be worn*

Closed-toe shoes must be worn

Further dress code restrictions may be imposed by

Contestants that do not comply may not be allowed to participate in the event.

Illegal Controlled Substances are not permitted at any part of this event.

Venue permitting, players can drink alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages while playing, but drinks must be placed outside the live court area, in a safe zone, or on a drink stand/holder.

The use of alcohol or any form of tobacco while in the confines of the courts will be prohibited for all contestants, officials, and scorekeepers.

Cell Phones:

The use of cell phones while in the confines of the courts may be prohibited for all contestants, officials, and scorekeepers at any time. 

Audio & Visual

The use of audio and visual equipment in the confines of the Event premises may be used by a Tournament Official. Your presence in the filming/photography area constitutes consent to be recorded/photographed.