The tournament will split into two divisions, the Open and Tailgate. Each team shall declare their desired division at check-in. We will crown a champion in each division however, prize money will only be awarded in the Open division. The divisions will have no effect on the round robin round since that is fixed frame scoring and group winners will advance to the play-off round of their declared division. Brackets for each division will be filled and seeded based on average scores during the round robin.

All play will be on regulation sized 2' x 4' boards spaced 27 feet front edge to edge. All players must use tournament supplied bags which will be traditional corn filled bags. Boards and bags will be assigned on a random or as available basis. Teams will be randomly placed into groups. Teams within a group will play a round robin format to determine the group winner based on win-loss record. Group winners will advance to a single elimination bracket to determine the champion. Wild card teams may be added to the bracket based on average score during round robin play. The championship brackets will be seeded based on the average score of each team during the round robin games. If there are ties based on win-loss records within a group, the ties will be resolved as follows. Ties between two teams will be decided based on results of the head-to-head game between the two teams. If more than two teams are tied based on win-loss record, all teams other than the two teams scoring the most total points of all teams within the group will be eliminated. See scoring designations below. The group winner will then be decided based on head-to-head results on the remaining two teams.

Scoring and rules of play shall be under the honor system. Each team shall keep the score card and call fouls that occur. Team members shall sign the score card at the end of each game. Once the card is signed the score becomes official. Any disputes shall be made to a judge or tournament official at the time the problem occurs. The tournament judge shall make the final ruling on all disputes.

Opening Coin Flip – the coin toss winner has the choice of which side of the board (lane) to lineup for play and takes the chosen positions then the remaining team may place either player at either end or, coin toss winner may defer position choice to the other team and them choose either player position after the coin toss loser takes position. The coin toss winner also pitches first.

Position Of Cornhole Players – each player's partner is directly across from them in the opposite box at the other board. So each team has one player throwing from the left pitcher's box and one throwing from the right. Each player is assigned a pitcher's box and will be required to pitch from their box the entire game. The pitcher must not go outside the designated pitcher's box during the process of pitching. The opposing player is to stand just behind their own pitcher's box while competitor is tossing.

Delivery Of Cornhole Bags –Every game is broken down into frames of play. During each frame of play each player must pitch all four bags. The players pitching first alternate until they've pitched all 8 bags, completing a half frame. The score is recorded before removing the bags. The remaining players also pitch in the same manner, record the score and the frame is completed. Players must deliver the bag within 15 seconds of stepping into the pitcher's box with the intention of pitching.

Cornhole Pitching Rotation – The team who scored most in the preceding half frame shall pitch first in the next half frame. If score is tied in a half frame, the team who pitched first in the preceding half frame shall pitch first in the next half frame.

Cornhole Scoring Designations

* A bag-in-the-hole ( Holer) is a bag thrown through the hole in the board (A bag can be pushed in by other bags from either player) = 3 points.

* A bag that is not in-the-hole but lands with any portion resting on the board = 1 point. It may not touch the ground before landing on the board. If it does, it's called "dirty" and must be removed from the playing surface before another bag is tossed. A bag hanging on the board surface but touching the ground as well is also "dirty" and has no point value and should be removed from playing surface before play continues.

* A bag which is not a holer or resting on the board, or a bag which was delivered in non-compliance with one of the rules of the game has no point value, scores as a foul and is to be removed from the board surface before any more bags are pitched. Bags knocked into foul territory by a foul bag should be returned as closely as possible to their original position. This also applies to bags that are knocked into the hole by a foul bag.

* All points are counted in the round robin. We do not cancel points. Our no-skunk scoring and fixed frame games keep the Classic fun for both novice and experienced players. Also, we use team average scores to seed for the championship round. These scores are the fairest way we have to seed the bracket. Cancellation scoring is used for the play-off rounds only. Only the difference in score after each half frame is added to the team that scored more points. For example, Player A tosses 3 bags in the hole while player B tosses one bag in the hole and one on the board. The core is then 5 for player A and his/her team since 9 - 4 = 5. During the play-off the first team to score 21 or more after the end of any half frame wins the game. However if neither team has reached 21 points after 30 minutes of play the winner will be the team with the most points at the time or if tied will be the first team to lead after any half frame.

The following rule violations, if spotted and called by a player or assigned judge, will result in the bag being declared foul and removed from the court:

* Any bag pitched when the player has made contact with or crossed over the foul line before the bag is released.

* Any bag pitched when the player has started or stepped completely outside the pitcher's box before releasing the corn bag.

* Any bag not delivered within the 15 second time limit.

* A bag pitched from a different pitcher's box than the first bag.

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

* Any bag which struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc.

* 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 board or leaving all bags as they are.

* Any bag that leaves a player's hand once the final forward swing of the toss has started shall count as a pitched bag. A bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final forward swing has started shall not be considered a foul and may be picked up and pitched.

* A player's bag shall be called a foul if the player removes it before the scoring of that bag has been agreed upon. A judge shall be called if a decision cannot be reached. The judge shall determine the scoring for the frame.

If a player desires to make a protest, the protest shall be made to the judge or tournament official at the time the problem occurs. The tournament judge shall make the final ruling on all protests.

Length of games - The game is played until each team has pitched 12 complete frames. The winning team is the team scoring the most cumulative points out of an available 288 points.

If a match is tied at the end of a round robin game, one additional frame shall be played. If the game is still tied a single bag toss off will determine the winner of the game. Teams can throw from either side of board. All four players throw one bag from the same board, rotating shots until one team outscores the other at completion of each 4 players tosses.

Players shall make no disturbing noises or movements that would distract the opponent or players on adjacent courts.

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