Set up the lane
Place the boards facing each other with 27 feet between their front edges. Both boards should be on ground that is as level as you can find, since a board tilted sideways will steer every bag the same direction and players will spend the game correcting for it.
Each side takes 4 bags of one color. In doubles, partners split up so each stands at a different board; in singles, both players throw from the same end and walk to the other end after the round.
| Step | Who acts | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First side | Pitches one bag from beside the board |
| 2 | Second side | Pitches one bag |
| 3 | Both sides | Continue alternating until all 8 bags are thrown |
| 4 | Both sides | Count 3 per bag in the hole, 1 per bag on the board |
| 5 | Both sides | Cancel totals, higher side scores the difference |
| 6 | Scoring side | Throws first in the next round from the opposite board |
Throwing order
The first side throws one bag, then the other side throws one bag, and they continue alternating until all 8 bags have been pitched. That is one round, sometimes called a frame or an inning.
After the round is scored, play continues from the opposite board. The side that scored in the last round throws first in the next one, which means a scoring side gives up the advantage of throwing last.
Score the round
Count 3 for each bag through the hole and 1 for each bag resting on the board without touching the ground. Add each side's total, subtract the smaller from the larger, and give the difference to the higher side.
A common beginner mistake is scoring both sides. Only one side scores per round, and rounds where both sides tie are worth nothing to either.
Finish the game
Play until one side reaches or exceeds 21 points at the end of a completed round. Always finish the round in progress rather than stopping the moment a side crosses 21, since the trailing side can still out-score them in that same round.
For a longer social format, some groups play to 21 with a two-point margin or run a best-of-three match. Those are house conventions, so agree on them before the first bag rather than in the middle of a close game.
Common beginner adjustments
Most new players throw short. If your bags land in the grass in front of the board, aim to land bags on the back half of the surface and let them slide down toward the hole rather than trying to drop them directly in.
Bag rotation matters more than power. A bag that lands flat holds where it lands; a bag that lands on a corner tumbles unpredictably. Getting the bag to arrive flat is the single change that improves most beginners fastest.
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A few common questions
How many bags does each player throw?
Each side throws 4 bags per round. In singles that is 4 bags per player; in doubles each partner throws 4 bags from their own end of the lane.
Who throws first in the next round?
The side that scored in the previous round. If the round was a wash, the side that threw first in that round throws first again.