Cornhole Names By Region

The game of cornhole has many different names. Some of the more popular names are: cornhole, corn toss, bean bag toss, and tailgate toss. Below are different verions of the game by region.

Cornhole in Cincinnati

The west side of Cincinnati has been widely accepted as the birthplace of Cornhole. The first games were played in the early ’60s and dubbed “cornhole” due to the bag’s feed corn stuffing.

Cornhole is popular around Cincinnati and is played during family activities, like picnics, during tailgating, and other social events. The popularity of Cornhole in Cincinnati has led to several professional leagues, most notably the ACA or The American Cornhole Association.

Cornhole in San Diego, CA

Popularized in Mission Beach, Cornhole has spread throughout the greater San Diego, CA area. Masterful players such as Chris Wake, Dar Miller and Randy Scher (all outstanding grade school teachers and suckers) have developed new techniques to accommodate the sand and wind in the beach environment.

Cornhole in North Carolina

Cornhole is commonly played in the parking lots of small to medium sized office buildings. The game is typically played in a round robin format.

Cornhole in Northern Kentucky

Cornhole has become popular in much of Kentucky, including the majority of sporting events and outdoor activities.

Cornhole in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

This variation is simply called “Bean Bag Toss” and is a common pastime at graduation parties and other gatherings. It is very similar to the traditional version except the board is divided into upper and lower sections as well. The upper region gives the tosser two points while the lower region gives only one. Bags that touch the dividing line are considered on the lower half. If a bag is In-the-hole it is called a ringer, similar to the term in horseshoes. All the points from both teams are totaled and the winner receives the difference. The first to 21 wins.

Cornhole in the Chicago Area

This variation of the game, extremely popular on the South Side of Chicago and the southwest suburbs, is simply called “Beanbags,” “Bags,” “Baggo,” “Bags ’N Boards,” “Bean Bag Toss,” or “Tailgate Toss.” The main difference in this style is that the cornhole boards measure 3’×2’ instead of the traditional cornhole boards measuring 4’×2’. The game play is slightly more difficult since the pitch is slightly steeper and you are throwing at a smaller surface. This size is often called the “Tailgate Sized” because it can fit in the trunk of a car, unlike the longer 4’×2’ boards. Also popular in this region is the beanbag slang. “Put it in the Basement” refers to one partner’s direction to his throwing partner to “get a ringer,” or throw it in the hole. “Damage Control” means to cancel out as many points as possible after an opponent gets one or more ringers. A “Blocker” is a beanbag strategically thrown such that it lands directly in front of the hole, thus blocking an opponent’s clear path to the hole. A “Savvy Veteran Move” (variation “Crafty Veteran Move") is when a player throws his bag so that it knocks another one of his board-resting bags into the hole.

Dancing is often followed after successfully placing all four bags in the hole (called a “four bagger") to intimidate your opponent. One common dance that has recently spread like wild fire is the “Kenny Dance” where the player runs in place and flails both arms. The actual act/dance is called “Kennying". Although looking extremely strange, it has aided in many wins by throwing the opponent’s concentration off.

Information from wikipedia.org