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In 2003, Texas Hold'Em was a relatively unknown game, until Chris Moneymaker went from a virtual nobody to the World Series of Poker champ and turned $40 into $2.5 million. Quickly the sport took off and soon enough you noticed poker tables in every superstore and just about every poker event was televised on ESPN or GSN. It looks as if another game, previously know only in certain circles, is about to make its breakout. The cornhole game has exploded from its modest roots in Illinois and Ohio and the momentum keeps growing year after year.
The orgin if the sport is a little fuzzy, but we have a pretty good idea Where did this wildly popular sport come from? There are a few theories out there ranging from a farmer in Germany that invented the game in the 14th century to a group of farmers in Illinois that came up with the game when they had some leftover corn. Ever since the invention, the game has popped up here and there around the country within certain groups of people, nothing concentrated though. We have it easy now though, up until the last few years if you wanted cornhole sets then you needed to construct them on your own . Even larger stores like Dick's Sporting Goods or Sportmart are carrying a plastic version of the game. Now plastic isn't the choice of most players, but it does at least show that the game is popular enough to warrant placement in a large store. A popular choice for people that purchase the product is to go direct and purchase either from someone locally or from an internet site that will make the boards according to the proper specifications.
Typically, a lot of people will construct the bean bag boards themselves. Since the boards are bulky, it might be a little pricey to try to have them shipped across the country. Since the boards measure 4 feet by 2 feet, they tend to cost a bit to have them shipped. So, a lot of people will have one of their handy friends construct a set of boards for their own play. The plans for the boxes can be found online so its generally pretty easy for people with some carpentry skills to put the boards together. This will save you the expense of having them sent to you, but you'll make up for it with your time. Others find that its much easier just to pay the shipping cost if they don't have the resources or the space to build the boards themselves. The rules of the game are pretty easy and most people vaguely remember the game, or a spinoff of the game, from their childhood. The only equipment you need is a couple of cornhole boards and a set of 8 cornhole bags. And better yet, it's a game that nearly anyone can play. It doesn't matter if they're a grandparent or grandchild, you can shorten the space between the playing boards to accommodate for the players. That is why the game is so popular for summer BBQ's and parties, you can setup a big tournament and not worry that some players will be at a disadvantage. A first timer can unseat a veteran in any game, at any time.
The cornhole bags themselves are something that most people will purchase. A lot of times, where they might have the skills to put together a set of boxes, sewing a set of cornhole bags might not be something they want to learn how to do. You need a sewing machine and some know how to put them together. Plus, unlike a set of cornhole boards, the bags do go through quite a bit of wear and tear and if you don't know what you are doing, they can break after just a little bit of play . That is the main reason people opt to puchase their cornhole bags from a retailer online, they are reasonably priced and they hold up well. This eventually saves them money in the long run
The draw of the game probably comes from the simplicity of the game. People can play against whoever, no matter what the skill set, and you can have a competitive game. Whether cornhole will explode like Texas Hold Em' remains to be seen, but the game sure is picking up steam in certain areas of the country. Online poker has really helped everyone practice their poker game anytime of the day, in any season of the year, and against a wide variety of players. But, cornhole has its own online version of the game. Some sites are now featuring virtual cornhole games so you can brush up during the winter. Who knows, we might see cornhole emerge as the next Olympic game!
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