Get Better at Cornhole: 15+ Tips, Tricks & Strategies (Up Your Game)

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco

Not only is cornhole a fun family game, but it’s also a competitive sport. This sport’s primary goal is to get your bean bags into a hole while also blocking your opponent from doing so. This game can be a bit tricky to win, so today, I will go over a few ways to ensure you rock at cornhole. 

Next, we’ll discuss many tips to help you become a better cornhole player and how you can apply them. So if you would like to learn how to apply certain strategies when playing this fun game, keep reading. 

These are 16 strategic tips and tricks for winning at cornhole:

1. Relax Your Body

First, you need to relax your body. If you are tense and nervous, your game will be off. So before a game, it’s a good idea to take a moment to breathe and do something that soothes you. Cornhole is meant to be fun, so have fun and just do your best without stressing yourself out too much.

2. Don’t Overthink the Game

Overthinking is the enemy of success when playing this incredible sport. Cornhole is a strategic game, but ultimately winning will come down to muscle memory and knowledge of the game. If you spend all of your time stressing and overthinking each play, you will miss your shot. 

Instead, you should try focusing on the technique of each throw and paying attention to your opponent’s plays. 

3. Line Your Body Up With the Board Properly

To line your body up with the board, you should aim to place your body on a diagonal on whichever side is opposite of your dominant hand. For example, if you are right-handed, you should stand to the left of the board. This technique can help you aim your shots and increase your scoring success. 

4. Place the Foot Opposite of Your Dominant Hand Forward

When lining yourself up to the board, you must also use the correct foot. You should aim to place the foot opposite your dominant hand forward before you throw. For example, if you are left-handed, your right foot should be planted firmly forward. This move will help provide balance as you toss the bag toward the hole. 

5. Practice Proper Body Form

Another key trick you should apply is using good form when throwing. As with any game or sport, paying attention to proper technique is essential. 

Proper throwing form includes:

• The opposite leg of your dominant hand is planted forward. 
• Knees slightly bent
• Straight back
• Lean forward as you throw. 
• Loose flowy movements

Ultimately, how you hold your body will change slightly depending on the type of throw you are doing. However, these tips will apply to most plays, but do what makes you comfortable and brings you the most success. 

6. Understand the Main Cornhole Throw Types

In cornhole, there are several well-known plays. These plays are the best ones to use if you are looking to win a game of cornhole. 

Cornhole throwing techniques:

• Air mail: This is where you aim directly for the hole when you throw and use an arc to perfectly fling your bag straight into the goal. This move is probably the hardest to perfect.

• Slider: The slider move is where you toss your bag so that it will hit the board and slide into the opening, thus scoring you a point.

• Blocker: This shot is where you toss your bag onto the board to block your opponent’s shots. This move prevents them from easily sliding into the goal.

• Push: A push shot is where you throw in a way to push your opponent’s bag out of the way or push another of your bags into the hole. 

If you are more of a visual learner, Ultra Cornhole Vorticy has a fantastic video showcasing different throwing techniques that you should check out. They do a great job walking you through each throw. 

7. Learn Correct Finger Positions

Knowing where your fingers go on the cornhole bag is very important. How you hold your bag will determine how accurate your throws are and how easily you can score. When holding your bag, your thumb should press down on the top of the bag while your remaining fingers are underneath, pressing upward.  

8. Aim To Have Your Bag Land Flat

When throwing cornhole bags, it’s essential that you throw them as flat as possible. Your bag should closely resemble a frisby as it sails through the air. The flatter your bag stays when it’s thrown, the better success you will have in making a goal. In addition, your bag will be easier to control if it’s not haphazardly flipping through the air. 

9. Never Spin Your Bag End Over End

Whenever you throw your cornhole bag, it’s imperative that you don’t allow it to flip through the air as it goes. If your bag is flipping end over end, you are far more likely to miss the hole since this method is not easily controlled. So instead, you should opt for it to sail flatly through the air. 

10. Learn to Flat Spin Your Bag

Next, you should always try to put a spin on your bag as you throw. When I say spin, I don’t mean you should send the bag somersaulting through the air; instead, you should aim to throw the bag with a bit of spin like a frisbee. This spin can aid your bag in getting to its destination in a controlled manner. 

11. Try To Throw Your Bag With a Slight Arc

For the best cornhole score, you should always aim to throw your bags with a slight arc. By arching your shots, you give your bag a better shot of coming down directly in the hole or being able to hit the board and slide right in. Using a little arch is an excellent tool for getting your bag where you want it to go. 

12. Know Your Surfaces

When setting up a game of cornhole, it’s crucial to know that not all surfaces are the same for playing cornhole. If possible, you should opt to set your game up on grass, as this will provide a little bounce when your bags hit the board. 

If grass is unavailable, a hard surface will do fine; just remember that your shots will hit a little more challenging since there is no spongy grass to absorb the shock from your throws. 

13. Ensure That the Board Is Level

Having a level cornhole board is vital. This is because players heavily rely on the perfect sloped board to make their shots. Plus, if the board becomes too sloped, throws will easily slide off and make playing much more difficult. So always do your best to set up your game on level ground. 

14. Master How Much Pressure Is Needed To Grip the Bag

When holding your bag, it’s important to find balance. You should never grip the bag too tightly or too loosely as both can lead to a bad play. If you don’t apply enough pressure, your bag can fly out of your hand before you’re ready. In contrast, holding on too tight can cause your bag to leave your hand more jerkily, causing it to fly off course.

15. Practice Regularly

Practice truly does make perfect. The best way to get good at any game, including cornhole, is to play it regularly. The more you play, the better you will get. The great thing about cornhole is that it’s easy to practice making shots independently. Plus, it’s a great family game, so there is a good chance you can round up some family members to practice with. 

16. Don’t Let Other Players Get in Your Head

When playing a heated game of cornhole, it’s easy to psych yourself out if you are playing with someone who likes to trash talk. Do your best to ignore them and keep the mood light and fun. It’s important not to let them get into your head and make you doubt yourself. The best way to combat this is to do your best and have fun doing it. 

Key Takeaways 

Ultimately, there are many methods you can use to have success in your cornhole game. The best methods to try to win include:

• Frequent practice
• Good posture
• Learning proper throwing technique
• Staying relaxed

If you can accomplish these things, you are sure to rock in a game of cornhole. Just remember to have fun.