Why do people still enjoy playing ancient games such as Cornhole? We’re not sure, but it seems to be a trend. Bean bag tosses, horseshoes, bowling and other analog games are gaining popularity in every segment of the population. In the interest of good times that don’t require batteries or internet connections, we are pleased to present the following information about Cornhole, Go and other delightful old games.
What is cornhole and why do people play it to this day?
The answer to the second part of the question is easy: people play cornhole because it’s a whole lot of fun. Nobody seems to know exactly when the game came into being, but the general consensus among gaming experts is that cornhole originated in Germany sometime in the 14th century. In the United States, cornhole enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in Kentucky around a century ago, according to the American Cornhole Association. The game is similar to horseshoes, in that players stand some distance away and try to throw an item onto or into a physical target. In the game of horseshoes, that target is a metal stake at either end of a narrow sand pit. In Cornhole, the object of the game is to toss a bean bag through a hole in a tilted wooden board.
Cornhole, like horseshoes, can be played between two opponents or an entire tournament may be based around the game. One reason the game is so popular is because it’s portable and can be played virtually anywhere, by anyone. If you can pick up a bean-filled bag and hurl it thirty feet, you can play cornhole and get good at it, too. The game of cornhole is fast and fun and always entertaining.
Is cornhole a good game for children?
You bet it is. In fact, cornhole is one of the best games for a kid’s birthday party. All you need is a board with a hole in it, a way to tilt the board into a somewhat upright position, and eight bean bags. Cornhole bags are soft, easy to hold and a lot safer than lawn darts or horseshoes. In fact, it’s just about impossible to break anything or for a kid to be injured whilst playing a lively game of cornhole.
It’s relatively simple to make your own cornhole boards and bean bags. You can find instructions all over the internet. If you prefer to order a great game that’s ready to play without delay, visit letsplaycornhole.com/cornhole-boards and check out their wares. You can find full instructions for cornhole and variations of the game at that website, too.
Cool old analog games to know about
For people who enjoy word play, nothing beats a 20th century board game called Scrabble. Designed for play between two, three or four people, the popular word game is always great go-to entertainment for a rainy day. Although not played much these days, patolli was exceedingly popular during the reign of the Aztecs. The parables and pebbles of a game called petteia provided plentiful entertainment in ancient Greece. In fact, game experts at Mental Floss note that old-school philosopher Aristotle probably played the game with his peers.
The board game no computer can win
More than twenty-five centuries old, the Chinese game called Go has not yet been mastered by a machine. Unlike Scrabble, chess, checkers, backgammon and even Jeopardy, computers have thus far been unable to prevail over a human opponent in Go. Similar to chess, the oriental game is played with all strategic moves played right out in the open. The two-player game of Go starts with an empty playing board upon which opponents place black and white stones. The goal of Go is to avoid capture by your opponent while surrounding the opponent’s stones with your own. You might think it sounds easier than checkers, but it’s not. Around the time that a supercomputer called Deep Blue was busy beating Russian chess grandmaster, Garry Kasparov, Asian computer experts were beating computers every single time they played Go, says Wired magazine.
As long as there are people who play them, some games will never go out of style. In this day and age where most kinds seem to be always online, a sweet analog game can be a very nice change of pace. Besides, cornhole is fun! The next time your kids have a sleepover or you want to explore some old-time fun with your friends, start a game of cornhole and see what happens.
Elise Tucker enjoys writing and often pens an article or two each evening as she relaxes with a cup of tea and a cookie, or two!
