ACO Cornhole Handicapping System

The thrill of getting that first bag to land and stay on the board has been a hooking point for many ACO Players.

Then comes your first bag to go in the hole, your first game win, your first 4-bagger- The game of Cornhole is filled with first times that can turn a backyarder into an addict in moments.

But, after you have some games under your belt, you soon realize that the most fun and exciting that Cornhole can be is when you’re locked in a game with an evenly matched opponent, 20-20 on the scoreboard, and everything coming down to one final Frame, or better yet, one final bag!

Close, competitive Cornhole games are the pinnacle of the sport’s excitement, and that’s what the ACO Handicapping System will help to produce!

ACO Cornhole Handicapping is a system for allowing players or teams of different skill levels to compete against one another on an even level by awarding the less experienced player or team extra points per Frame to be factored into the cancellation scoring.

Unlike previous handicapping systems which award points per game, the ACO’s original handicapping system awards players or teams points every Frame, creating a more competitive game.

It sounds more complicated than it is, and we’ll break it down simply!

The ACO Cornhole Handicapping system can easily be calculated and used by any backyard players for everyone to have fun at the next family reunion tournament!
And stay on the look-out for the ACO Handicapping Division, coming to ACO tournaments soon!

In traditional cancellation scoring, the points of one player or team cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player or team can score in each frame.

• Woody: A bag that comes to rest on the board = one (1) point

• Cornhole: A bag that passes through the hole = three (3) points

EXAMPLE:

• Player #1 achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes during the frame (7 total pts)

• Player #2 achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes during the frame (2 total pts)

• 7 points – 2 points = Player #1 scores 5 points for the frame

In the ACO Handicapping System, traditional cancellation scoring is used, however, before the Frame score is tallied, the “underdog’s” handicap points must be applied.

EXAMPLE:

• Player #1 (Favorite) achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes during the frame (7 total pts)
• Player #2 (Underdog) achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes during the frame (2 total pts)
• Player #2 is the Underdog and their handicap is 4pts per Frame throughout the game.
  4pts are added to ther 2pts BEFORE canceling the points and calculating the score.
• 7 points – 6 points = Player #1 scores 1 points for the Frame

• ACO handicap scores are assigned to individual players based on the average points that they toss in a given Round or Frame, or PPR (Points Per Round) or PPF (Points Per Frame).

• A “Round” or “Frame” is the act of a player pitching all (4) four bags from one end and one side of the board to the other end.

• Once you know your PPR or PPF, you can use the scale in the next Section below to find your ACO Handicap Score.

There are two methods to get your PPR

1. Scoreholio

• Scoreholio is the tournament software that the ACO uses to coordinate tournaments Worldwide.
• If you already have a Scoreholio profile and have used it to play games in the backyard or in tournaments, then you can find your PPR in your player profile

2. ACO Frame Game

• If you haven’t used Scoreholio, and want to establish a PPR, then an ACO Frame Game is the quick and easy method.
• An ACO Frame Game is a pitching “test” to measure a player’s shot-making accuracy and proficiency.
• Frame Games are administered one player at a time.
• An ACO Frame Game consists of 13 Frames (4 bags thrown = 1 Frame).
• Each Frame consists of the player pitching all four bags from one board to another. The player must pitch all four bags from the same side of the board in a Frame.
• Pitching position alternates with each Frame. For example, if Player A pitches from the right side of the board in Frame 1, they walk straight down the lane, pick up the bags, and pitch them back from the left side of the board in Frame 2.
• Traditional scoring is used. A bag on the board (woody) is 1 point. A bag in the hole (cornhole) is 3 points.The max points for a Frame is 12pts.
• Once 13 Frames are completed, the score of all Frames are totaled to determine the player’s Frame Game Score.
• To find your PPR, grab your phone, and divide your Frame Game score by 13

  
  EXAMPLE

  ACO Frame Game score = 86
  86 divided by 13 = 6.62
  PPR = 6.62

  NOTE: Your PPR will always be a score between 0 and 12
  TIP: For backyard games, a single ACO Frame Game is fine to establish a PPR, but if you want to get more accurate, perform (3) or more ACO Frame Games and average your scores!

Use the scale below to find your ACO Handicap Score

Now that each opponent has their ACO Handicap Scores, we can easily calculate who receives additional points in each Frame

• The player with the lower ACO Handicap Score is the “Underdog”

• The player with the higher ACO Handicap Score is the “Favorite”

• To calculate the number of points that the Underdog will receive per Frame, subtract the Underdog’s ACO Handicap Score from the Favorite’s ACO Handicap Score

EXAMPLE

• Player #1 (Favorite) has an ACO Handicap Score of 8
• Player #2 (Underdog) has an ACO Handicap Score of 6
• 8 – 6 = 2
• The ACO Handicap “Spread” is 2pts
• Player #2 (Underdog) will receive 2pts toward their cancellation scoring during each Frame of the game

SCORING EXAMPLE

• Player #1 (Favorite) achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes during the Frame (7 total pts)

• Player #2 (Underdog) achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes during the frame (2 total pts)

• Player #2 is the Underdog and the handicap spread is 2pts per Frame throughout the game, meaning that 2pts are added to Player #2’s bag score before canceling points and calculating score.

• 7pts – 4pts = Player #1 scores 3pts for the Frame

Absolutely, using your ACO Handicapping score to play a Doubles game is easy!

• All (4) four players use their individual ACO Handicap Scores

• The (2) opponents at one end of the boards use their individual ACO Handicap Scores against each other, and the (2) opponents at the other end of the board use their individual ACO Handicap Scores against each other

By using the ACO’s original Handicapping System, you can bring the fun and excitement of competitive play to your own backyard, whether you’re shooting against your 10yr old nephew or if ACO King of Cornhole Craig Ervin happens to stop by!