The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sure, we have badminton and croquet here, but for Tristate residents, the real lawn game is Cornhole.

What is it?

Brian Polark of the Cincinnati Sports League calls it "horseshoes with beanbags," and says it's the perfect sport for a warm summer night.

The Cincinnati Sports League (www.gocsl.com) is in the midst of its first Cornhole season. Sixteen two-person teams throw down in league play every Thursday night at Tommy's on the River in the East End.

"It's a good fit," says Polark, vice-president of operations. "Some people take it seriously, but most know, in the grand scheme of things, they realize what they're doing and it's not that intense."

Playing the game

Equipment needed: Two Cornhole boards are needed. Each is 2-foot-by-4-foot plywood mounted on a frame of 2-by-4s. A circle 6 inches in diameter gets cut approximately 6 inches from one end.

Collapsible legs or a platform should allow the end with the hole to sit about a foot off the ground. The other end rests on the ground.

Place the two boards on the ground, facing each other, about 20 feet apart.

How to play: Players stand alongside a board and toss a cornbag (like a beanbag) at the hole in the opposite-facing board. Each player receives four bags.

Scoring: A bag in the hole earns 3 points. A bag that lands on the board but does not go in the hole is 1 point. A bag that hits the ground first doesn't count. A bag toss of equal value thrown against an opponent cancels the opponent's points. (Example: If, after the first round, Team A scores 5 points and Team B scores 3 points, the score for the round is: Team A, 2; Team B, 0.) Opponents alternate tosses until all eight bags are played. First player or team to score 21 points wins.

Information: www.baggo.com