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2025 ACL World ChampionshipsOVER $700,000 IN GUARANTEED CASH PRIZES!Get ready for the biggest week of the year in cornhole! The ACL Worlds 2025 Championships mark the grand finale of the 2024-2025 ACL season — featuring over $700,000 in guaranteed payouts across 30+ thrilling events.With tournaments for all ages and skill levels, there's something for everyone. For ACL Pros, it’s the ultimate showdown, with the championship rounds of the ACL Pro Cornhole Championship, ACL Teams, ACL Pro Shootout, and the SuperHole V Series all taking center stage.ACL Worlds ScheduleBUY TICKETSMONDAY, JULY 28, 2025TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2025WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2025THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2025SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2025SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2025ACL Worlds 2025 InfoACL Worlds 2025 LocationACL WORLDS 2025 RESULTS2025 ACL Pro World Champions2025 Advanced/Elite World Champions2025 Competitive World Champions2025 Intermediate World Champions2025 Seniors World Champions2025 Man & Woman of the YearACL Worlds ScheduleBUY TICKETSMONDAY, JULY 28, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Women's Pro Doubles - Challenger Brackets9:00 AM - Junior Pro Doubles - Challenger Brackets9:00 AM - Senior Pro Doubles - Challenger Brackets12:00 PM - Millers Ale House Tournament1:00 PM - Women's Pro Singles - Challenger Brackets1:00 PM - Junior Pro Singles - Challenger Brackets1:00 PM - Senior Pro Singles - Challenger Brackets5:00 PM - Mixed Doubles - Day 15:00 PM - Monday Big Blind Draw6:00 PM - Broadcast - International Invitational8:30 PM - Stevie AwardsTUESDAY, JULY 29, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Teams Quarterfinals9:00 AM - Minor League Teams Championship Bracket9:00 AM - Minor League Teams Consolation Bracket12:30 PM - Pro Doubles - Challenger Brackets3:00 PM - Tuesday Big Blind Draw5:00 PM - Mixed Doubles - Day 25:00 PM - USA Forces Blind Draw8:00 PM - Broadcast - National Teams Semi-FinalWEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Pro Singles - Challenger Brackets10:00 AM - $1,000 Director Blind Draw10:00 AM - Wednesday Big Swap2:00 PM - Open Women's Singles2:00 PM - Open Junior Singles2:00 PM - Open Senior Singles4:00 PM - ACL State Top 5 Pro Qualifier (The Top 5 Ranked Pro/Elite players from each state)4:00 PM - USA Forces Singles5:00 PM - $5,000 Player Engagement Tournament5:00 PM - Mini Board Blind Draw6:00 PM - Broadcast - American Teams Semi-FinalTHURSDAY, JULY 31, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Women's Pro Qualifier9:00 AM - Junior Pro Qualifier9:00 AM - Senior Pro Qualifier9:00 AM - Women's Pro Singles Main Event9:00 AM - Junior Pro Singles Main Event9:00 AM - Senior Pro Singles Main Event10:00 AM - Crew Cup12:00 PM - USA Forces Doubles12:00 PM - Pro Blind Draw12:00 PM - 70+ Seniors1:00 PM - Women's Pro Doubles Main Event1:00 PM - Junior Pro Doubles Main Event1:00 PM - Senior Pro Doubles Main Event4:00 PM - Pro Qualifier8:00 PM - Broadcast - ACL Pro Teams FinalFRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Pro Doubles Main Event9:00 AM - ADV/Elite Doubles A, B, C, D11:00 AM - Intermediate Doubles2:00 PM - ADV/Elite Doubles E, F, G, H2:00 PM - Broadcast - Ocho Day Trick Shots3:30 PM - Broadcast - USAF Doubles, Pro Women's/Senior/Junior Singles4:00 PM - Competitive Doubles5:30 PM - Pro Singles Main EventSATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - ADV/Elite Singles - Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H11:00 AM - Intermediate Blind Draw12:00 PM - Broadcast - Pro Doubles Finals, Pro Women's Doubles Finals2:00 PM - ADV/Elite Singles - Groups I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P2:30 PM - Broadcast - Cornhole For A Cause4:00 PM - Competitive Blind DrawSUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 20258:00 AM - Doors Open9:00 AM - Competitive Singles11:00 AM - ADV/Elite Blind Draw12:00 PM - Intermediate Singles12:00 PM - Broadcast - Pro Singles Finals, Pro Junior Doubles Finals3:30 PM - Broadcast - Pro InvitationalACL Worlds 2025 InfoThe schedule is subject to change.- Registration for ACL Worlds 2025 will done through the be ACL Digital Wallet ONLY. Cash will NOT be accepted for event registration. - NO Refunds will be given once online registration closes (2 days prior to event start date). Players will not be allowed to transfer their registration to another player.- An AMATEUR player is any player who has not signed a contract with the ACL. - Register by using the “Register” link above. Players must have an ACL Player Account to register. Memberships can be purchased through the player portal under "My Account." - Make sure the information in your ACL Player Profile is correct – especially your cell phone number and email address – for important information. Please reach out to your Regional Director if any of this information is incorrect and needs to be changed. - Activate push notifications before attending the event to receive court assignments & Bracket links.- Early registration for Diamond and Platinum members is available from Noon EST 6/13 - Noon 6/20. Any remaining spots after Diamond/Platinum Early Bird Registration will open for all members 6/20, Noon EST. - Online registration closes two days before the event. After that, players can sign up in person at the Director's table if spots are available. Walk-up registration ends one hour before the tournament starts, with no registrations accepted in the final hour.- Only one player should register a team for Doubles events, but all players must register for Singles individually.NOTE: The late registration charges for ACL Worlds 2025 and the $10/day cover charge built into registrations will not be added to the payout structure.ACL Worlds 2025 LocationRock Hill Sports & Event Center326 Technology Center Way, Rock Hill, SC 29730The Rock Hill Sports & Event Center is the sports hub of the Knowledge Park corridor of Rock Hill and the home of ACL Worlds 2025! The 170,000 sq. ft. facility is part of a mixed-use site connecting Winthrop University to Old Town Rock Hill, restaurants, outdoor venues, office space, apartments and more.The Center will host city athletic programs, sports tournaments, conferences/conventions, concerts and other special events. By offering healthy living activities as well as cultural and tourism opportunities, the Sports and Event Center adds to the quality of life in Rock Hill and surrounding areas.803-329-5675ACL WORLDS 2025 RESULTS2025 ACL Pro World ChampionsPro Singles – TBDTrey Burchfield (2024)Jamie Graham (2023)Mark Richards (2022)Trey Burchfield (2021)Pro Doubles – TBDTrey Burchfield & Adam Hissner (2024)Eddie Grinderslev & Kaleb Batson (2023)Jason Rubin & Jordan Power (2022)James Baldwin & Jordan Camba (2021)Pro Blind Draw – TBDDevon Harbaugh & Dillon Turpin (2024)Corey Morrison & Chris Kingsbury (2023)AJ Sims & Phillip Lopez Jr (2022)Eddie Grinderslev & Ryan Windsor (2021)Women’s Singles – TBDCheyenne Bubenheim (2024)Cheyenne Bubenheim (2023)Cheyenne Bubenheim (2022)Cheyenne Bubenheim (2021)Women’s Doubles – TBDCheyenne Bubenheim & Kamryn Belvin (2024)Cheyenne Bubenheim & Sarah Cassidy (2023)Cheyenne Bubenheim & Sarah Cassidy (2022)Rosie Streker & Samantha Finley (2021)Co-Ed Mixed Doubles – TBDJacob Trzcienski & Kamryn Belvin (2024)Eddie Grinderslev & Debra Odum (2023)Daniela Luna & Mark Richards (2022)Tony Smith/Isabella Surprenant (2021)2025 Advanced/Elite World ChampionsAdvanced Singles – TBDLogan Dupler (2024)Advanced Doubles – TBDAnthony Eastridge & Clayton Kennedy (2024)Advanced Blind Draw – TBDJulius Reyes Jr & Ryker Wells (2024)2025 Competitive World ChampionsCompetitive Singles – TBDTyler Watts (2024)Competitive Doubles – TBDJoseph Rezler & Cole Brandt (2024)Competitive Blind Draw – TBDJohnny McGarrah & Brandon Sellers (2024)2025 Intermediate World ChampionsIntermediate Singles – TBDShane Corum (2024)Intermediate Doubles – TBDCornelius Delaware & Joshua Shore (2024)Intermediate Blind Draw – TBDCameron McClester & Nathan Brown (2024)2025 Seniors World Champions70+ Senior Singles –TBDWalter Farris (2024)Senior Doubles – TBDFrank Modlin & Jay Dotson (2024)Senior Singles – TBDDaymon Dennis (2024) –2025 Man & Woman of the YearWoman of the Year – TBDMan of the Year – TBDBe sure to follow us Read the full article

Looking to find out the winners from all the 2024/25 ACL Opens? We have all the details of each Tier, Division plus the cash or prizes won! So far there have only been 2 Open events so be sure to bookmark the URL and check back on Monday/Tuesday after an Open for an updated list. We are Everything Cornhole to Feed Your Addiction!#aclopen #cornholeaddicts #cornholewinners #iplaycornhole #ACL #ACLElite #ACLOpen #aclpro #Advanced #americancornholeleague #CompetitiveAn ACL Open, organized by the American Cornhole League (ACL), is a cornhole tournament event that spans over 2 or 3 days. Participants of various ages and skill levels engage in multiple tournaments. For more information on upcoming events, click here to check the schedule. 2024 ACL Open 1 - Rock Hill, SCPro/Elite Singles Pro/Elite DoublesOpen/Advanced Singles Tier 1 Doubles Open/Advanced Blind Draw Competitive SinglesTier 2 Doubles Competitive Blind Draw2024 ACL OPEN 2 - Des Moines, IowaPro/Elite SinglesPro/Elite Doubles Tier 1 Amateur Open/Advanced SinglesTier 1 Amateur Doubles Tier 2 Amateur Competitive SinglesTier 2 Amateur Competitive DoublesTier 3 Amateur Intermediate SinglesTier 3 Amateur Intermediate Doubles2024 ACL OPEN 3 2024 ACL Open 1 - Rock Hill, SCResults from the ACL Open at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center, in Rock Hill, SC. Pro/Elite Singles Overall Champ$2,000Devon HarbaughOverall 2nd Place$1,200Jackson GoreOverall 3rd Place$650Tanner Halbert Overall 3rd Place$650Bryce Forbes2nd in Bracket$450Erick Davis2nd in Bracket$450Brady Foster2nd in Bracket$450Phillip Lopez JR 2nd in Bracket$450Matt Wilson3rd in Bracket$325David Brown3rd in Bracket$325Jason Rubin3rd in Bracket$325Justin Reul3rd in Bracket$325Alex Rawls4th in Bracket$250Mason Traiteur4th in Bracket$250Colin Hodet4th in Bracket$250Jordan Power4th in Bracket$250Daymon Dennis5th in Bracket$200Nate Long 5th in Bracket$200Tye Thompson5th in Bracket$200Jacob Harrison5th in Bracket$200Colby Shearer5th in Bracket$200Vincent Frisch5th in Bracket$200Jason Frady5th in Bracket$200Donovan Cinelli5th in Bracket$200Jayden EllisPro/Elite DoublesOverall Champ$3,800Alan Rawls & Chris Kingsbury Overall 2nd Place$2,200Sammy Soto & Gavin CanoOverall 3rd Place$1,300Derek Holland & Alex Rawls Overall 3rd Place$1,300Noah Almanza & Ryker Wells 2nd in Bracket$800Bryce Forbes & Levi Haddock2nd in Bracket$800Austin Waskow & Quinn Reeves 2nd in Bracket$800Mason Traiteur & Cash Chamness2nd in Bracket$800Jayden Ellis & Frank Verona 3rd in Bracket$500Tony Smith & Mark Richards3rd in Bracket$500Jaime Graham & Jacob Trzcienski 3rd in Bracket$500Codey Henderson & Ethan Walker 3rd in Bracket$500Sarah Cassidy & Elizabeth Tennyson 4th in Bracket$300Matt Wilson & Colby Shearer4th in Bracket$300Jordan Camba & Eric Zicklein 4th in Bracket$300David Brown & Brandon Earls 4th in Bracket$300Spencer Fabionar & Jacob Harrison Open/Advanced Singles Overall Champ$500Espn JacksonOverall 2nd Place$360Travis Purser2nd in Bracket$255Kirk Owen2nd in Bracket$255Andrew Kneece3rd in Bracket$155River Cole3rd in Bracket$155Charlie Fulcher4th in Bracket$100Zachary Phillips 4th in Bracket$100Aaron George 5th in Bracket$60Kevin Whitaker 5th in Bracket$60Andrew Noyes 5th in Bracket$60Anthony Diaz5th in Bracket$60Ethan Chastain7th in Bracket$40Caleb Bratz7th in Bracket$40Austin Dailey7th in Bracket$40Brayden Purser7th in Bracket$40Joshua CurrinTier 1 Doubles Champion$2,200KB Butler & Jay Patto2nd Place$1,400Jordan Harrelson & Max Smith 3rd Place$1,000Michael Street & Bryce Boggs 4th Place$800JT Holley & Espn Jackson t-5th Place$610Kyle Butler & Jordan Mitchell t-5th Place$610Addison Renegar & Carson Mcmanust-7th Place$480Tanya Tallent & Diane Fox t-7th Place$480Travis Purser & Dawson Deaver Open/Advanced Blind Draw Champion$320Travis Purser & Corey Heiser2nd Place$240Ayden Anderson & Joel Gonzalez3rd Place$180Zac Blaylock & Maurice Smith4th Place$100Brandon Tyndall & Landon Hunt t-5th Place$70Ivan Martinez & Anthony Corralt-5th Place$70Jacob Lowder & Braydon Gosnellt-7th Place$50Dawson Deaver & Troy Millwoodt-7th Place$50Matthew Milburn & Lincoln WoolridgeCompetitive SinglesChampionElite Boards/Singles Entry/Champion JerseyRobert Dildy2nd PlacePro Bags/Singles Entry/ACL Shop JerseySteven Clark3rd PlaceACL Shop Jersey/Singles Entry/T-Shirt Bryan Cooke4th PlaceT-Shirt/Singles EntryTyler Suarezt-5th PlaceSingles EntryCarson Clarkt-5th PlaceSingles EntryLee HagwoodTier 2 Doubles ChampionElite Boards/Doubles Entry/Champion JerseyAdrain Ballard & TJ Bowie2nd PlacePro Bags/Doubles Entry/ACL Shop JerseyDavid Polk & Wesley Hartsell 3rd PlaceACL Shop Jersey/Doubles Entry/T-Shirt Hayden Smith & Kevin Flynn4th PlaceT-Shirt/Doubles EntryTin Brooks & Dawson Foster t-5th PlaceDoubles EntryPookie Strickland & Aiden Huntt-5th PlaceDoubles EntryHayden Neal & Colton Neal Competitive Blind DrawChampion$220Pete Haskins & Scott Webb 2nd Place$140Jennifer Vaughn & Raymond Leary3rd Place$100Joseph Eshelman & Caleb Martin4th Place$60Lee Hagwood & Kimberly Spraguet-5th Place$50Tony Oscar & Mark Tichenort-5th Place$50Diane Brummett & Hannah Haskins 2024 ACL OPEN 2 - Des Moines, IowaBelow are the 2024 ACL Open 2 results from the Jacobson Exhibition Center in Des Moines, Iowa on October 18-20, 2024.Pro/Elite SinglesOverall Champ$2,000Ryan Traiteur Overall 2nd Place$1,200Noah AlmanzaOverall 3rd Place$650Mason TraiteurOverall 3rd Place$650Sammy Soto2nd in Bracket$450Justin Burton Jr 2nd in Bracket$450Jeff Reynolds2nd in Bracket$450Gavin Cano 2nd in Bracket$450Owen Krick3rd in Bracket$325Levi Haddock3rd in Bracket$325Logan Chamberlain3rd in Bracket$325David Morse3rd in Bracket$325Ethan Walker 4th in Bracket$250Anthony Eastridge4th in Bracket$250Tylar Stratton4th in Bracket$250Kaleb Batson4th in Bracket$250Zachary Engelken5th in Bracket$200Eddie Grinderslev5th in Bracket$200Nick Mescal 5th in Bracket$200Tony Forbes5th in Bracket$200Jason Rubin 5th in Bracket$200Jeremy Snellgrove5th in Bracket$200Chase Frieden5th in Bracket$200Cannon Hatcher5th in Bracket$200Dillon Turpin Pro/Elite Doubles Overall Champ$3,800Jason Rubin & Ryan TraiteurOverall 2nd Place$2,200Isidro Herrera & Jalen Jones 2nd in Bracket$1,300Fisher Hamilton & Landon Crabtree2nd in Bracket$1,300Cody Henderson & Ethan Walker 3rd in Bracket$900Mason Traiteur & Cash Chamness 3rd in Bracket$900Justin Burton JR & Locan Chamberlain 4th in Bracket$700David Brown & Donald Cupp 4th in Bracket$700Ryan Smith & Ryan Wiedenfield 5th in Bracket$500Jeff Reynolds & Lucas Householder 5th in Bracket$500Kamryn Belvin & Noah Almanza 5th in Bracket$500Isabella Surprenant & Levi Haddock 5th in Bracket$500Austin Waskow & Quinn Reeves 7th in Bracket$300Sammy Soto & Gavin Cano7th in Bracket$300Eddie Grinderslev & Dillon Turpin7th in Bracket$300Payton Haynes & Zack Aiken 7th in Bracket$300Bret Guy & Matt Guy Tier 1 Amateur Open/Advanced SinglesChampion$500Lucas Piper2nd Place$350Alex MacDonald3rd Place$250Justin Lang4th Place$200Hunter Holmest-5th Place$100TJ Paintert-5th Place$100Justin Oestrickert-7th Place$50Chris Lesliet-7th Place$50Spencer SimpsonTier 1 Amateur Doubles Champion$2,200Justin Lang & Alex MacDonald 2nd Place$1,400Jaime Rojas & Jared Thompson 3rd Place$1,000Hayden Fergerson & Drew Blauvelt 4th Place$800Conner Poldberg & Nash Heeset-5th Place$620Matt Johnson & Cameron Clark t-5th Place$620Alex Weaver & Aaron Berndt t-7th Place$430TJ Painter & Chad Taylor t-7th Place$430Daryl Jones & Lucas Piper Tier 2 Amateur Competitive SinglesChampion Elite Boards/Singles Entry/Open Champion JerseyConnor Poldberg2nd PlacePro Bags/Singles Entry/ACL Shop Jersey Alex Weaver3rd Place ACL Shop Jersey/Singles Entry/T-Shirt Allen Remmen4th Place T-Shirt/Singles Entry Matthew Paustiant-5th PlaceSingles Entry Jack McKinneyt-5th Place Singles EntryLogan MillerTier 2 Amateur Competitive DoublesChampion Elite Boards/Singles Entry/Open Champion JerseyAlex Hawkins & Owen Cox2nd PlacePro Bags/Singles Entry/ACL Shop Jersey Clint Palmer & Kelly Anderson3rd Place ACL Shop Jersey/Singles Entry/T-Shirt Matt Dean & Marshall Vasquez4th Place T-Shirt/Singles Entry Dayton Will & Scott Banks t-5th PlaceSingles Entry John Kraft & Nick Swanson t-5th Place Singles EntryManuel Ayala & Jesse Montgomery Tier 3 Amateur Intermediate SinglesChampion Comp Boards/Singles Entry/Open Champion JerseyCorey Zelinko2nd PlacePro Bags/Singles Entry/ACL Shop Jersey Scott Banks3rd Place ACL Shop Jersey/Singles Entry/T-Shirt Lee Thao4th Place T-Shirt/Singles Entry James Thomast-5th PlaceSingles Entry Kenna Rubisont-5th Place Singles EntryTom GannTier 3 Amateur Intermediate DoublesChampion Comp Boards/Singles Entry/Open Champion JerseyKeith Holland & Lauryn Holland2nd PlacePro Bags/Singles Entry/ACL Shop Jersey Anis Mesinovic & Nick Eads3rd Place ACL Shop Jersey/Singles Entry/T-Shirt Lois Bittner & Jordan Flinn4th Place T-Shirt/Singles Entry Wyatt Tharp & Austin Moran t-5th PlaceSingles Entry Nick Masloski & Jason Blauvelt t-5th Place Singles EntryWesley Melton & Chris Stewart 2024 ACL OPEN 3

Part 3 is here! So your opponent goes first and drops their bag right in that 7 o’clock spot creating a lane block. If you’re a lefty, that thing is definitely all up in your lane. Now what do you do? We asked four ACL Pro players what they would do. Let's analyze their answers and see if we can figure out what the best answer is: A, B, C, D, none of the above, or all of the above!When playing at the competitive level and below, the blocker seems to get most people rattled. They just can't figure out what the best thing to do is or how they will play out the round finishing with points or not giving up a bunch. The lane block bag becomes one of the biggest mental hurdles especially if your opponent doesn't have much of an airmail or any roll, flop or cut shot. Which, let's face it, not too many competitive/intermediate players have those in their arsenal. Lets check out how the Pro players handle the lane block and maybe you can get some tips on what you should do or at least what you should work on doing next.How the Pros Handle the Lane BlockBret’s first inclination would be to shoot it straight up the gut and hopefully knock that blocker out to the left with his bag going in. But if that darn blocker is doing its job and in the way of his slide, Bret is staying true to his aggressive style (as mentioned in PART 1: The Standard Block) and you won’t be catching him trying to counter block or block behind--nope! He’s sending it. Airmail every time, baby! Kenzie Beach gives himself a couple un-Bret-like options. Option number one is the more traditional route of a counter lane block, or placing a response bag right in that 5 o’clock spot--which is also what Steven Bernacet would do. Typically, a slide up the middle at a slowed down block speed will get the job done, as the block already in place will nudge it to sit right next door. Now, with neither party able to push their bags in (for 95% of the cornhole world anyway), it’s an airmail or roll party. Steven would confidently go bag for bag with anyone in an airmail show. Kenzie would feel just as confident going roll against airmail. So they both welcome these scenarios. And that’s just option number one for Kenzie. Number two involves what is known as a cut shot in which the bag is thrown at such an angle that once it lands slightly to the right of that lane block, it will take a turn or cut back towards the hole. The curve ball of cornhole, if you will. Isabella Suprenant, wants to take the lethal cut shot a step further and not only does she want to get around that lane block, she wants to shoot a cut blocker to stop short of going in and sit to the right and in front of the opponent’s bag, gaining a hole advantage. As a top level player comfortable with her roll bag, she loves a bag hanging over the hole that welcomes all sorts of mistakes from her opponent. And, if all goes well, her final bag could very well be a super gangster cut push for a four bagger! So what’s the right answer? For now, the shot that works best with your current skill set! Is it worth developing a cut/roll/flop?? Well that’s an entirely different blog coming soon, isn’t it? Next entry is the final one! What to do against a V BLOCK!

Welcome to our newest series called Pro Level Game Theory and first up, we are going to talk about the Standard Block. We asked four ACL Pros how they would typically respond to each of these block scenarios. Their (response) bag would be thrown from the left side. Below are their answers. (Spoiler: they're not all the same). Now let's break down why each player may have answered the way they did and really begin to ask ourselves the million dollar question: is there a correct way? One thing is clear from the gate: there is no consensus here. Cut around like Bella? Roll? Airmail? Block behind? Push through? For some time now, in the non-pro world, it has been the consensus to cover/pin/block behind a standard block (but apparently we can’t come to a consensus on what to call this move). Common cornhole wisdom dictates, “Hey, great block, allow me to place this bag behind it to negate any attempts from you to push it in, and let’s start the airmail party. May the best airmailer win.” How the Pros handle the standard blockThat’s what Kenzie Beach would do. Well--some of time. He also has a roll bag option he can pull out at will--probably how he crushed his competition in his conference qualifier to get his pro spot. But notice how he says he wants to “see what they can do.” We all know plenty of players in the recreational cornhole world who would rather hack off their right big toes with a butter knife than throw an airmail under pressure . However, a dirty little secret in the Pro cornhole world is that even they lose their confidence in their airmails from time to time. So if that’s what makes your opponent lose his or her mind, forcing an airmail contest rather than allowing pushes, then the proper play might just be a standard block behind! Isabella Suprenant, reigning coed world champion, said she even goes the extra mile of purposely making the covering bag actually cover the bag and sit on top of it. That's if you didn't leave her space for her to execute her killer cut shot. By the way, all these youngsters with these fully mastered flops, rolls and cuts...what do they put in school milk nowadays? Now here we have another ACL Pro and one time national singles champion Steven Bernacet saying that he only practices covering bags during rounders, where I can only assume he’d rather play it safe in order to better guarantee that he goes undefeated--as is the goal for everyone during those qualifying rounds. But when it’s time for the big boy brackets, he’s willing to risk it for the biscuit. It is indeed a bold move any way you slice it. By airmailing right over that standard block you are emphatically stating to your opponent that your airmail rate is greater than their push/replacement rate. Multiple title holder and recent Pro Shootout Doubles Champion Bret Guy says if he’s feeling his airmails, he’s always going to let it fly. Notice here, a top pro admitting that he can lose his confidence--but if you’re seeing him on the national broadcast he’s almost definitely “feeling it." And what’s really interesting here is if his airmails aren’t feeling too hot that day, he’s still not going to drop a standard block behind it! I believe this reveals how much some players value the emotional/mental battle on the boards. Play mind games or play the math?A standard block is not an easy bag to land. Not only does your left/right alignment have to be on point but you need to be extremely accurate telling that bag precisely where to hit the brakes. So, imagine you nail the standard block. You quietly fist pump in your mind. And then, without hesitation...swish...Steven Bernacet or Bret Guy just airmails over it. He might as well look over at you and add on a, “Nice try, little buddy.” Try to understand the mind screw taking place here! And when Bret isn’t on his airmail game, he wants to make sure he cleans up the board. Another emphatic, “Not today, young fella.” But does this statistically make sense? Or is it that Bret and Steve are so good that they can pull this off? These are the questions that we need answered in order to establish whether there is such a thing as optimal game theory in cornhole.So let's look at some numbers. The opponent will henceforth be referred to as the Sucka. Here’s a theoretical scenario with theoretical success percentages attached.Sucka: Standard Block - 70% (success rate)Bret: Push through - 85%Sucka: Frustrated Bold Second Block - 70%Bret: "Nice Try Buddy" Airmail - 75%Sucka: Replacement Bag - 65%Bret: "Lol in yo face" Airmail - 75%Sucka: Push through - 75%Bret: Slide - 90%Versus this scenario:Sucka: Block - 70%Steven: Cover - 85%Sucka: next three airmails at 65%Steven: next three airmails at 75%Now go back to each scenario and replace those percentages with yours and your favorite local nemesis’s. How would you rather play it? Do you think your airmail rate is strong enough to play with such Bret Guy or Steven Bernacet level aggression? What conclusions do you draw from breaking this down? Is it possible that Steven and Bret are playing this standard block the wrong way statistically but it’s somehow the right way mentally? Did we help you answer any of life's questions? At all? Tune in next time as we do a two for one special breaking down the answers these ACL Pros gave about standard blocks in your lane and missed blocks in their lane. If blocking is your game and the route you chose to go then here are some great Slick & Stick bags you will want to try.

Part 3 is here! So your opponent goes first and drops their bag right in that 7 o’clock spot creating a lane block. If you’re a lefty, that thing is definitely all up in your lane. Now what do you do? We asked four ACL Pro players what they would do. Let's analyze their answers and see if we can figure out what the best answer is: A, B, C, D, none of the above, or all of the above!When playing at the competitive level and below, the blocker seems to get most people rattled. They just can't figure out what the best thing to do is or how they will play out the round finishing with points or not giving up a bunch. The lane block bag becomes one of the biggest mental hurdles especially if your opponent doesn't have much of an airmail or any roll, flop or cut shot. Which, let's face it, not too many competitive/intermediate players have those in their arsenal. Lets check out how the Pro players handle the lane block and maybe you can get some tips on what you should do or at least what you should work on doing next.How the Pros Handle the Lane BlockBret’s first inclination would be to shoot it straight up the gut and hopefully knock that blocker out to the left with his bag going in. But if that darn blocker is doing its job and in the way of his slide, Bret is staying true to his aggressive style (as mentioned in PART 1: The Standard Block) and you won’t be catching him trying to counter block or block behind--nope! He’s sending it. Airmail every time, baby! Kenzie Beach gives himself a couple un-Bret-like options. Option number one is the more traditional route of a counter lane block, or placing a response bag right in that 5 o’clock spot--which is also what Steven Bernacet would do. Typically, a slide up the middle at a slowed down block speed will get the job done, as the block already in place will nudge it to sit right next door. Now, with neither party able to push their bags in (for 95% of the cornhole world anyway), it’s an airmail or roll party. Steven would confidently go bag for bag with anyone in an airmail show. Kenzie would feel just as confident going roll against airmail. So they both welcome these scenarios. And that’s just option number one for Kenzie. Number two involves what is known as a cut shot in which the bag is thrown at such an angle that once it lands slightly to the right of that lane block, it will take a turn or cut back towards the hole. The curve ball of cornhole, if you will. Isabella Suprenant, wants to take the lethal cut shot a step further and not only does she want to get around that lane block, she wants to shoot a cut blocker to stop short of going in and sit to the right and in front of the opponent’s bag, gaining a hole advantage. As a top level player comfortable with her roll bag, she loves a bag hanging over the hole that welcomes all sorts of mistakes from her opponent. And, if all goes well, her final bag could very well be a super gangster cut push for a four bagger! So what’s the right answer? For now, the shot that works best with your current skill set! Is it worth developing a cut/roll/flop?? Well that’s an entirely different blog coming soon, isn’t it? Next entry is the final one! What to do against a V BLOCK!

Welcome to our newest series called Pro Level Game Theory and first up, we are going to talk about the Standard Block. We asked four ACL Pros how they would typically respond to each of these block scenarios. Their (response) bag would be thrown from the left side. Below are their answers. (Spoiler: they're not all the same). Now let's break down why each player may have answered the way they did and really begin to ask ourselves the million dollar question: is there a correct way? One thing is clear from the gate: there is no consensus here. Cut around like Bella? Roll? Airmail? Block behind? Push through? For some time now, in the non-pro world, it has been the consensus to cover/pin/block behind a standard block (but apparently we can’t come to a consensus on what to call this move). Common cornhole wisdom dictates, “Hey, great block, allow me to place this bag behind it to negate any attempts from you to push it in, and let’s start the airmail party. May the best airmailer win.” How the Pros handle the standard blockThat’s what Kenzie Beach would do. Well--some of time. He also has a roll bag option he can pull out at will--probably how he crushed his competition in his conference qualifier to get his pro spot. But notice how he says he wants to “see what they can do.” We all know plenty of players in the recreational cornhole world who would rather hack off their right big toes with a butter knife than throw an airmail under pressure . However, a dirty little secret in the Pro cornhole world is that even they lose their confidence in their airmails from time to time. So if that’s what makes your opponent lose his or her mind, forcing an airmail contest rather than allowing pushes, then the proper play might just be a standard block behind! Isabella Suprenant, reigning coed world champion, said she even goes the extra mile of purposely making the covering bag actually cover the bag and sit on top of it. That's if you didn't leave her space for her to execute her killer cut shot. By the way, all these youngsters with these fully mastered flops, rolls and cuts...what do they put in school milk nowadays? Now here we have another ACL Pro and one time national singles champion Steven Bernacet saying that he only practices covering bags during rounders, where I can only assume he’d rather play it safe in order to better guarantee that he goes undefeated--as is the goal for everyone during those qualifying rounds. But when it’s time for the big boy brackets, he’s willing to risk it for the biscuit. It is indeed a bold move any way you slice it. By airmailing right over that standard block you are emphatically stating to your opponent that your airmail rate is greater than their push/replacement rate. Multiple title holder and recent Pro Shootout Doubles Champion Bret Guy says if he’s feeling his airmails, he’s always going to let it fly. Notice here, a top pro admitting that he can lose his confidence--but if you’re seeing him on the national broadcast he’s almost definitely “feeling it." And what’s really interesting here is if his airmails aren’t feeling too hot that day, he’s still not going to drop a standard block behind it! I believe this reveals how much some players value the emotional/mental battle on the boards. Play mind games or play the math?A standard block is not an easy bag to land. Not only does your left/right alignment have to be on point but you need to be extremely accurate telling that bag precisely where to hit the brakes. So, imagine you nail the standard block. You quietly fist pump in your mind. And then, without hesitation...swish...Steven Bernacet or Bret Guy just airmails over it. He might as well look over at you and add on a, “Nice try, little buddy.” Try to understand the mind screw taking place here! And when Bret isn’t on his airmail game, he wants to make sure he cleans up the board. Another emphatic, “Not today, young fella.” But does this statistically make sense? Or is it that Bret and Steve are so good that they can pull this off? These are the questions that we need answered in order to establish whether there is such a thing as optimal game theory in cornhole.So let's look at some numbers. The opponent will henceforth be referred to as the Sucka. Here’s a theoretical scenario with theoretical success percentages attached.Sucka: Standard Block - 70% (success rate)Bret: Push through - 85%Sucka: Frustrated Bold Second Block - 70%Bret: "Nice Try Buddy" Airmail - 75%Sucka: Replacement Bag - 65%Bret: "Lol in yo face" Airmail - 75%Sucka: Push through - 75%Bret: Slide - 90%Versus this scenario:Sucka: Block - 70%Steven: Cover - 85%Sucka: next three airmails at 65%Steven: next three airmails at 75%Now go back to each scenario and replace those percentages with yours and your favorite local nemesis’s. How would you rather play it? Do you think your airmail rate is strong enough to play with such Bret Guy or Steven Bernacet level aggression? What conclusions do you draw from breaking this down? Is it possible that Steven and Bret are playing this standard block the wrong way statistically but it’s somehow the right way mentally? Did we help you answer any of life's questions? At all? Tune in next time as we do a two for one special breaking down the answers these ACL Pros gave about standard blocks in your lane and missed blocks in their lane. Tune in next blog when we do a 2 for 1 discussing the Pros’ answers to a block in your lane and a missed block in their lane. If blocking is your game and the route you chose to go then here are some great Slick & Stick bags you will want to try.