ACL OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS

2025/2026

The below represent official detailed rules and regulations for ACL competition.
For basic setup, rules, and scoring, click here.

NEW CLARIFICATIONS AND UPDATES
  • Non-Player Delay Practice Restriction (3.b): Practice throws are prohibited during non-player-related technical delays (e.g., tablet issue); violation results in a warning, then forfeited bags.
  • Shot Clock Violation Penalty Update (4.c.ii): The first violation when timeouts remain now results in an Auto-Charged Timeout before the clock is reset. A player may then opt to take the full 60-second timeout.
  • Timeout Practice Restriction (4.c.iii): Players are prohibited from throwing practice bags during a timeout; violation results in a forfeited next bag.
  • Official Scoring Accountability (4.f): Matches with an assigned official are specifically responsible for confirming the correct score is entered following a violation (e.g., foot foul) before the next round begins.
  • Incorrect Score Concession Exception (4.d.iv): A match conceded due to a belief of a winning score that is then realized to be incorrect is nullified, and play must continue.
  • Adjusting Target Board Mid-Round Penalty (4.b.i): A player who adjusts the board they are throwing toward in the middle of a round will incur the penalty of Forfeiting of the next bag.

updated 10/24/25

1. EQUIPMENT

  1. Boards
    1. Material: Boards shall be made of wood for use in ACL sanctioned events. The most common types are birch and oak.
    2. Finish: Boards shall have a finished coat that features a smooth texture.
    3. Dimensions: Boards must measure two feet wide and four feet long, with a ±1/4 inch tolerance.
    4. Hole:
      1. The hole must be 6 inches (±1/8 inch) in diameter, centered width-wise.
      2. The center of the hole must be 9 inches (±1/8 inch) from the back edge of the board.
    5. Thickness and Weight:
      1. Boards must have a minimum top layer thickness of 1/2 inch with cross-section support, or 3/4 inch without cross-section support.
      2. Boards must have a weight of at least 15 pounds.
    6. Height:
      1. The front edge of the board should be raised between 2.5 and 3.5 inches above the ground.
      2. The top of the board should rest 12 inches above the ground (±1/2 inch).
    7. Foreign Substances:
      1. No foreign substances may be applied to a board after it has been purchased from a manufacturer. Substances include but are not limited to baby powder, cleaning spray, and silicone sprays.
      2. A dry cloth may be used to wipe down a board prior to play
    8.  ACL Board Stamp 2026/2027 (Effective Oct. 1, 2026) To standardize play and experience, all ACL State and higher events will require play on ACL marked and approved boards starting October 1, 2026.
      1. Local: No stamp required (ACL COMP recommended)
      2. Regional: No stamp required (ACL COMP or ELITE recommended)
      3. State/Province: ACL Elite required
      4. Open: ACL Elite required
      5. Pro: ACL PRO required
  2.   Bags
    1. Bag Requirements and Specifications
      1. Source: Players must supply their own bags for play in an ACL sanctioned event. See the ACL Bag Policy for a full list of rules and regulations regarding ACL Approved Bags and ACL tournaments.
      2. Directors may provide players with bags as long as they meet the bag criteria listed below.
      3. Approved List: Regardless of division, bags used in play must be on the Approved Bag Manufacturer List published annually.
      4. Physical Specifications:
        1. Bags must measure 6 inches wide and 6 inches long (±1/4 inch).
        2. Bags must weigh between 15.5 and 16.5 ounces.
        3. Bags must have a thickness no less than 1.1 inches and no greater than 1.5 inches.
      5.  Holes/Resin: Bags with holes where plastic resin can leak will not be allowed.
    2.  Alterations and Conditioning
      1. Prohibited Alterations: After purchase from the manufacturer, bags may not be altered in any way. Alterations include repair, stitching, removing resin, adding resin, ironing, and any other manipulation that results in a bag becoming different than the original state of purchase.
      2. Allowed Conditioning:
        1. Players may wash bags using fabric softener and/or detergent and dry in a dryer.
        2. Players may break in bags using ACL Approved products as long as the directions are followed as outlined in the packaging.
      3.  Labeling: Players may label their bags with initials or a name with a permanent marker. The label should not exceed 5 in2. Reasonable judgment by the director should be used to determine if the written label alters the integrity and/or functionality of the bag.
    3. Foreign Substances and Sweat
      1. General Prohibition: Players may dry bags but no foreign substances can be applied to the outside of a cornhole bag.
      2. Sweat Rule: Sweat is not a foreign substance unless it is applied intentionally. Players may not intentionally apply liquid to a set of bags.
        1. Players should use a cloth or towel to remove sweat from themselves.
      3.  Penalty for Intentional Application: If a player is found to be intentionally applying liquid or sweat to a bag or an opponent’s bag, the director reserves the right to either:
        1. Force the player to switch bags mid-game.
        2. Forfeit the player for that game.
    4. Bag Color and Sets
      1. Set Uniformity: All bags in a set of four must have the same design and color for each corresponding side on all four bags.
        1. Example: A player may use a gray suede side and a red duck cloth side for a cornhole bag. All three of the other bags must have a red duck cloth side and a gray suede side.
        2. Example (Prohibited): A player cannot have four bags that have a grey suede side and alternating colors of red, blue, yellow, and green on the duck cloth side of a bag.
    5.  Bag Switching and Damage
      1. Switching: A Player may not switch bags during a game (but can after a single game in a series) unless a bag is unintentionally damaged and leaking, or if a bag mid-game has been unintentionally altered such that it affects the play of the game differently for one player in comparison to the other.
      2. Damaged Bag Protocol: In the event of a damaged bag, all 4 bags in that set must be swapped out at the end of the round for a new set of 4 bags.
      3. Intentional Damage: Intentional damage to a bag leads to a forfeit of the game.
    6. Bag Inspection
      1. Director's Right: The tournament director reserves the right to conduct random bag inspections of any player’s bags at any time, or non-random inspections if a director suspects that a player is using bags that are not compliant with the current bag policy.
      2. Post-Tournament Inspection: If a player finishes a tournament and has earned prize money, the director reserves the right to inspect all bags used by that player throughout the tournament.
      3. Inspection Penalty (Non-Compliant):
        • If any bags used by that player are inspected and found to not meet the criteria, the player may forfeit all of his or her prize money for that tournament.
        • Upon a random bag inspection, if a bag or set of bags is found to not meet the bag policy criteria, that player is no longer allowed to use those bags for the remainder of the tournament and the director reserves the right to forfeit any prize money potentially earned by the player in that tournament.
      4.  Prior Challenge/Warning Penalty: If a player or team already with a warning during one season has the same set of bags challenged OR has a different set of bags challenged that are, in turn, disallowed:
        • That player or team forfeits all remaining matches in that tournament.
        • The player/team is given a 1 month suspension from the American Cornhole League.
      5.  If a player who has already served his or her 1 month ban is found to be playing with bags in an ACL sanctioned tournament that do not meet the bag requirements again, he or she will be suspended for the remainder of the season.

2. Layout

  1. Court Setup
    1. Court Definition: A court is defined as the total area of play for a cornhole game consisting of two boards.
    2. Board Distance: Two boards should be located 27 feet (±1/2 inch) apart, from the front of one board to the front of another.
    3. Board Alignment: The front edges of the two boards must face each other.
    4. Vertical Clearance: For play indoors or under covering, the minimum vertical height of a ceiling or covering is 12 feet.
  2.  Boundaries
    1. Pitcher’s Box: A rectangle measuring 3 feet wide by 4 feet long (length of board) on either side of a board designates a player’s pitcher’s box.
    2. Foul Line: The foul line is designated as the front end of the board, which is also marked by the front edge of a player’s pitcher’s box.
  3.   Lanes
    1. Definition: A lane is defined as two pitcher’s boxes directly across from one another on two different boards on one court.
    2. Doubles Play: In doubles play, players on the same team will line up directly across from each other in the same lane, not diagonally from each other in opposite lanes.
  4.  Scoreboard
    1. Usage: One scoreboard per court (two sets of boards) should be used.
    2. Placement: The scoreboard shall be placed a minimum of 1 foot behind one board, outside of the field of play.
    3. Requirement: Scoreboards are not required for play.

3. PRE-GAME

  1. Coin Toss
    1. Initiation: Each game begins with a coin toss (or equivalent method like a bag spin) to determine lane/matchup and who throws first.
    2. Singles Winner Choice: The winner of the coin toss will choose which lane he or she will pitch in for the entirety of the game.
    3. Doubles Winner Choice (Choose One): The winner of the coin toss will choose either the lane and location of each player of that team (which will be permanent for the entirety of the game) OR the player matchup for each board.
    4. Doubles Loser Choice: The loser of the coin toss will decide the outcome of the other option not selected by the winning coin toss team.
    5. First Throw Choice: In all divisions, the winner of the coin toss will choose which team or player will throw the first bag of the game.
  2. Practice (Down and Back)
    1. Customary Practice: Unless unanimously decided otherwise by all players on a court, it is customary to complete a “down and back” practice round before beginning a game.
    2. Singles Format: Players will complete one round of practice throws, walk down to the other board staying in their same corresponding lanes, and then complete one additional round of practice throws before the game begins.
    3. Doubles Format: Competing players on one board will complete one round of practice throws, and then each player’s corresponding doubles partner will complete a practice round throwing from the opposite board in the same lane as their partner before the game begins.
    4. Series Practice: In a series of more than one game played by the same teams/players in a row, a down and back will then occur if there is a side change, opponent change, or a bag change, unless all players unanimously agree to not complete another “down and back.”
    5. Additional Practice: Additional practice rounds must be unanimously agreed upon by all players in the game.
    6. Non-Player Delay Practice (New Clarification): Once a match has begun, if play is stopped for any non-player-related technical delay (e.g., tablet correction, lighting issue, etc.), no "down and back" or practice throws are permitted. A player found throwing bags during such a delay will receive a warning for the first offense; subsequent offenses will result in a forfeited bag in the next round.
  3. Bag Challenging
    1. Process: If a player or team believes the opposing team is using a set of bags that does not abide by the bag policy, they may challenge the bags before the beginning of the game by contacting an American Cornhole League official.
    2. Approved Bags: If the set of bags are approved, the game begins as scheduled.
    3. Disallowed Bags (First Offense): If the set of bags are not approved, that player or team is given a warning and the bags cannot be used for that game. The team or player must find an alternate set of bags to use for the remainder of a tournament.
    4. In-Game Acceptance: Bags that are not challenged prior to a match are deemed acceptable for use during that match.
    5. Post-Game/Season Penalties: See 1.b.vi for penalties related to post-tournament and repeated bag violations.

4. GAMEPLAY

  1. Pitching
    1. Proper Pitching Technique
      1. Definition: A pitch is defined as one player throwing a cornhole bag towards the opposite board from which he or she is standing attempting to make the bag onto the board or into the hole.
      2. Style: The pitch of a cornhole bag may be underhand or overhand.
      3. Intentional Miss: A player is not necessarily required to attempt to contact the board. He or she may voluntarily choose to earn zero points on a pitch by pitching the bag intentionally off to the side or short of the board.
    2. Foul Line and Pitcher's Box Requirements
      1. Foot-in-Box Rule: Upon release of the bag during a pitch, a player must have at least part of one foot inside the pitcher’s box with contact to the ground and not across the foul line.
      2. Foul Line Release: Players may not step on or touch beyond the foul line at the front of their box before releasing the bag during a pitch.
      3. Follow-Through Foul: Additionally, players may not step on or touch beyond the foul line until the pitched bag makes contact with the board or the ground at the other end. Any violation of this rule will be considered a Foot Foul and penalized as outlined in 4.a.iii.
      4. Board Contact: Players may not step on the cornhole board while pitching a cornhole bag or after the follow-through of a pitch. The penalty for this is the same as the Foot Foul penalty outlined in 4.a.iii.
      5. Body Position: No part of a player’s body, except for a hand or arm, may cross the midpoint of the board in the direction of the opposing player’s pitch box (i.e. a player may not straddle the board in order to attempt a shot).
      6. Disability Exception: Players with lower extremity disabilities will not be penalized if a natural follow-through takes them beyond the foul line, as long as the bag was released behind the foul line.
    3. Foot Foul Penalties and Enforcement
      1. Calling a Foul: An official/director can be called to the court, or a director may voluntarily officiate the game. Once the official is contacted, he or she will watch the remainder of the match.
      2. Penalty - Bag Forfeit: For every pitch from that point in the game onward that the player steps on or over the foul line, he or she will have the bag corresponding to that pitch forfeited.
        1. Note: The penalty also applies if, upon release of a bag, a player does not have one part of one foot inside the pitcher’s box, but is not past the foul line.
      3. Penalty - Forfeited Bag Removal: A forfeited bag will be removed from the area of play once it comes to rest during that round by the official with as little disturbance to play as possible.
        1. Any bags that unavoidably move or fall into the hole as a direct result of a director removing a forfeited bag from play will count and will be scored as they lie after the movement is complete (subject to point adjustments below).
      4. Penalty - Point Adjustments:
        1. The player who commits the Foot Foul will have any additional points gained via the bag thrown during the foot foul violation subtracted from the round score at the conclusion of a round.
        2. Any points lost in the round for the opposing team due to the foot foul violation will be added to the opposing team's round score at the conclusion of the round.
          1. Example 1: Foul that Gains Points (Self-Push): A player has two bags in the hole, one bag on the board, and one bag left to be thrown. The player commits a foot foul violation on the last bag and pushes a single bag of their own in the hole. The bag thrown also goes in. First, the bag thrown is removed from the hole. Second, the player gained an additional 2 points on the foot foul violation by pushing a bag on the board into the hole, so 2 points are deducted from the player’s round. The player’s round who committed the violation is scored as a 7 instead of a 12.
          2. Example 2: Foul that Costs Opponent Points (Knock-Off): An opponent has 3 bags in the hole, and 1 on the board. A player has 3 bags in the hole and 1 bag left in hand. The player commits a foot foul violation and knocks the opponent’s bag off the board while keeping their bag on the board. First, the player’s bag is removed from play. Second, since the opponent lost 1 point from their round score as a direct result of the violation, a point is added to their end of round score. The opponent’s round is scored as a 10 instead of a 9 and the player’s score is a 9 instead of a 10.
      5. Severe Foul: Any foot foul violation that involves both feet being past the foul line at the time of release is enforced with the same severe penalty as the Touching Bags punishment as outlined in 4.d.vi.
  2. Sequence of Play
    1. Rounds
      1. Definition: A round is defined as a complete sequence of 8 bags thrown by two players (4 each) towards one board.
      2. Scoring: Scoring is calculated at the conclusion of each round.
      3. Board Adjustment: A Player may adjust the board to which he or she is pitching only before a round if it is misaligned or not at the correct distance. Boards from which a player is playing may be adjusted at any time as long as it is not during an opponent’s throw.
        1. Penalty for Adjusting Boards From Which Throwing During Opponent's Throw: Forfeiting of the next bag.
        2. Adjusting the Target Board Mid-Round: A player who adjusts the board they are throwing toward (the one across the court) in the middle of a round will incur the following penalty: Forfeiting of the next bag.
        3. Penalty if Bags are Affected (Bag Movement): It will be treated as touching bags outlined in 4.d.vi (The severe foul penalty).
    2.   Pitch Sequence
      1. Starting: The game begins with the winner of the coin toss choosing who pitches the first bag. Pitching then alternates until all 8 bags are thrown.
      2. Subsequent Rounds: The first pitch in every subsequent round is given to the player or team who had the last scoring round in the game.
      3. Wash/Push: If the previous round resulted in no points scored for either team, the same player or team who had first pitch in the previous round will maintain first pitch in the next round.
      4. Movement:
        1. Singles: The players walk to the other board, remaining in their designated lane, and complete another round of pitching.
        2. Doubles: The two players’ partners at the opposite board will then complete a round of pitching.
      5. Win Condition: Play continues until a score of at least 21 points is achieved by one team at the conclusion of a round.
        1. A player or team does not have to win by a minimum of two points.
        2. A player or team is not penalized for achieving a score over 21 points.
      6. Incorrect Sequence:
        1. If a player pitches in an incorrect sequence, the bag that is incorrectly pitched is forfeited and removed from play. The opposing player will then pitch two consecutive bags to reestablish the correct sequence.
        2. If an incorrect sequence is not called immediately, the round finishes. If that round finishes in a wash/push, the next round is played in the CORRECT sequence. If the round is scored, the scoring team starts the next round.
        3. If an incorrect pitch sequence takes place in the middle of a round, the enforcement is treated the same as the foot foul violation (4.a.iii).
      7. Refusal/Forfeit (Updated):
        1. If a player refuses to finish a game, that player will forfeit the game by a score of 21-0.
        2. If one partner of a doubles team cannot finish the match for any reason, that game will be forfeited by the team that could not finish by a score of 21-0.
    3. Post-Pitch Conduct (Timing and Movement)
      1. Waiting for Opponent's Bag: A player must wait for their opponent's previous bag to come to a complete stop on the board, off the board, or in the hole before delivering the next pitch.
        1. Penalty for Not Waiting: The thrown bag will be forfeited and removed from play. Any opponent’s bags that were contacted by the thrown bag will be placed and score as if they were in the hole. (Official's judgment applies for minor movements).
      2. Walking to the Other End (Last Bag): On the last bag of the round, opponents may not walk to the other end until the last bag by the throwing player makes contact with the board or ground on the other end.
        1. Early Walk Penalty: All bags on the board, and the final bag, will automatically be scored as if they were in the hole.
        2. Officials can use reasonable judgment to issue warnings for first time offenses of this rule, as well as ignore this punishment if it is found that the throwing player intentionally or even unintentionally withheld visible evidence from the opponent that a last bag still remained in the round.
      3. Bag Retrieval Timing: Bags must not be picked up while still moving. Players must wait 3 seconds after the bag comes to a complete stop before retrieval.
        1. Penalty: Failure to wait for the bags to come to rest before picking them up is enforced as a Touching Bags Violation as outlined in 4.d.vi.
  3. Timing and Timeouts
    1.  Pitch Clock
      1. Duration: Each player will have 15 seconds to pitch his or her bag from the moment that the opposing player’s bag comes to rest on the other end.
      2. Round Start Time:
        1. If a player has the first pitch in a round, they will have 45 seconds from when the last bag from the previous round comes to rest on that side of play for doubles, and 1 minute for singles play.
      3. In-Between Round Clock Transition (Added Clarification): When a new round begins, each player will receive the full time before they need to pitch their first bag. If Player A throws their first bag with time remaining on the in-between round clock, Player B will have until the end of the in-between round clock, plus an additional 15 seconds.
      4. Clock Enforcement: A player may request the pitch clock be enforced by an ACL official, at which point it is enforced for both players immediately. An official may also choose to enforce the shot clock if they feel it is necessary.
    2.  Shot Clock Violation Penalties (Updated)
      1. Auto-Charged Timeout: If a player or team still has timeouts remaining and violates the shot clock:
        1. One (1) timeout will be automatically charged to the player/team as a penalty.
        2. The shot clock will reset, and the player must throw the bag before the new clock expires.
      2.  Active Timeout Option (New Clarification): After a timeout is automatically charged, the penalized player may immediately announce their intent to take a full 60-second timeout. If the player chooses this option, the full timeout rules (including the ability for all players to utilize the time to view the opposite board) will apply, and the charged timeout is considered used. If the player does not announce their intent, the match resumes immediately with only the shot clock reset.
      3. Bag Forfeit (No Timeouts): If the player or team has no timeouts remaining, the bag is forfeited and removed from play as a "loss of bag."
        1. If a bag was pitched after the clock expired, the resulting bag is treated the same as a foot foul violation as outlined in 4.a.iii.
    3. Timeouts
      1. Number: Each player (singles) or team (doubles) is awarded four (4) 60-second timeouts.
      2. When to Call: A player may only call a timeout when he or she has the next bag to throw (no “icing”), or in between rounds. Partners may not call timeouts during their partner’s throw.
      3. During Timeout (New Clarification): During a timeout, no players may throw a bag for practice or warm-up. Violation of this rule will result in the forfeiture of the next bag to be thrown by the offending player/team.
      4. Movement: All players are able to utilize the full timeout. Players may leave the pitcher’s box to view the other board.
      5. Returning: All players must be back in the pitcher’s box when the timeout expires.
        1. If a player is not back in the pitcher’s box when the timeout expires, that player will use a second timeout.
        2. If an opponent is not back behind the foul line when the timeout expires, that team is charged a timeout, but the timeout will not physically be taken.
      6.  At the end of the timeout, the normal pitch clock will start for the throwing player.
      7.   Consecutive Timeouts: Players may only use a maximum of two consecutive timeouts.
        1. If at the end of the second consecutive timeout, plus the duration of the shot clock, a player has still not pitched his or her bag, then it will result in loss of bag, forfeiting the bag, and will not charge an additional timeout.
      8. Excess Timeouts: Timeouts taken in excess of the allowed timeouts will lead to that player or team forfeiting their next bag in the round.
      9. Implied Timeout: If a player crosses the foul line prior to pitching a bag attempting to get closer to the opposing board for viewing purposes, it is inferred that that player is choosing to take a timeout.
      10. Official Consultation: If a player requests a director/rules official to officiate an in-progress match, or asks for clarification on a rule, that player will not be charged a timeout.
  4. Scoring
    1. Bag Values
      1. Timing: Scoring is always completed at the end of a round, not during.
      2. 3 Points: A bag through the hole at the end of a round is valued at 3 points.
      3. 1 Point:
        1. A bag lying on top of the board at the end of a round is valued at 1 point.
        2. Bags “hanging” in the hole are valued at 1 point.
      4. 0 Points (Foul/Off Board):
        1. A bag that neither went through the hole nor is lying on top of the board at the end of the round is valued at 0 points.
        2. Bags that are lying on top of the front edge of the board but are touching the ground are valued at 0 points.
        3. Bags that touched the ground or any other surface before touching the board or going into the hole are valued at 0 points and must be removed by an official.
    2. Scoring Method
      1. Cancellation: All scoring for a round features cancellation (the net difference between team scores is awarded).
        1. Example: Player A scores 10 points. Player B scores 8 points. Player A earns 2 points towards the overall score (10 - 8 = 2).
    3. Disturbed and Pinned Bags
      1. Disturbed by Foul Bag: If a dead bag (a bag that touched the ground) causes other bags on the board to move, the final resting places of the bags in play will count.
      2. Bag Pinned Off-Board: If a bag is pinned by another bag and is hanging off the side of the board touching the ground, board support, or legs, the pinned bag is immediately deemed dead. An official must be called to remove the pinned bag.
        1. If the other bag remains on the board, it counts as 1 point.
        2. If the other bag also falls off the board when the pinned bag is removed, the bag counts as 0 points.
      3.  Bag Hanging on Ground Bag: If a bag is hanging off of the front of the board, on top of another bag which is on the ground, an official must carefully remove the bag lying on the ground.
        1. If the bag on top falls to the ground, it is valued at 0 points.
        2. If the bag stays on the board, it is valued at 1 point.
      4.  Bag Raking/Sweeping: In some instances, bags in the hole will stack. A player may ask an official or spectator to “sweep” the bags from under the hole.
        1. If a hanging bag is touching a bag in the hole, an official (or unbiased spectator/least-benefited player) must sweep the bags in the hole without disturbing the hanging bag.
        2. If the hanging bag does not fall into the hole, the bag is valued at 1 point.
        3. If the hanging bag unavoidably falls into the hole after a correct “sweep,” the bag is valued at 3 points.
    4. Concession and Round Finality
      1. Final Bag Concession (New Clarification): Once a match or bag is conceded, either verbally or by throwing the bag, the match/round is immediately over. If an opponent's bag is already in the air or still in motion when the concession is made, the final result of that opponent's throw will count towards the final score of the round.
        1. Incorrect Score Concession Exception: If a match is conceded due to a belief of a winning score that is then realized to be incorrect, the concession is nullified provided the realization occurs within ten (10) minutes of the concession. The match will be continued from the score and bag positions that existed prior to the concession.
      2.  Accidental Round End: If all bags are believed to have been thrown and both teams/players clear the board of bags and proceed to start the next round only to find that a single bag has not yet been thrown, the round is still over and the points are scored as the round finishes. The single bag leftover is simply forfeited.
    5.  Board/Bag Contact Violations: the following actions are prohibited and will result in penalties as defined below:
      1. Touching Bags in Play: Touching of bags that are in play (any scoring bag valued at 1 point "on the board") by a player or their teammate is prohibited before the round is complete.
        1. Result: If a player (or teammate) touches a bag in play, the round immediately ends. The full Touching Bags Penalty Structure (detailed in 4.d.vi) is applied.
      2.  Stomping/Jumping: If a player stomps, jumps, or completes another action that causes bags to fall into the hole or move in the middle of a round:
        1. Result: The same touching rules are applied. The round immediately ends, and the full Touching Bags Penalty Structure (detailed in 4.d.vi) is applied.
      3.  Touching the Board: In most cases, touching the board will not impact the bags.
        1. Result: If bags are impacted (moved), the same rule is in effect as if you touched the bags. The round immediately ends, and the full Touching Bags Penalty Structure (detailed in 4.d.vi) is applied.
      4.  Opponent Removing Bags from Hole (Exception): If a team begins to remove bags from the hole while the opposing team still has a bag left in hand:
        1. Condition: This exception only applies if no bags on the board were touched. Picking up bags that are off the board does not apply to this rule.
        2. Result: The non-offending team with the remaining bag can choose one of the following options: 
          1. Accept the Forfeit: Choose to accept a 3-point value for the bag in hand, and the round is immediately over.
          2. Continue Play: Choose to throw the final bag as the round stood prior to bags in the hole being touched, and the round is then scored normally.
        3.  Full Penalty Application: If bags on the board were touched, the full Touching Bags Penalty Structure (detailed in 4.d.vi) is applied immediately, and this choice is unavailable.
      5.  Third-Party Contact (Exception): If a third party spectator, official, or other outside force touches bags causing them to move:
        1. Result: The best reasonable judgment by the players and a director/official will place the bags back into their original position, and the round continues.
    6. Touching Bags Penalty Structure (The Severe Foul Penalty): the following rules apply when a player (or their teammate) illegally touches a bag that is in play (a scoring bag on the board), illegally touches their opponent's bag, or illegally disturbs the board, causing bags to move. The round ends immediately upon the violation.
      1. Round Termination: The round immediately ends.
      2. Offending Team's Score: The offending team's score is calculated based on bags already in the hole, with an important exception:
        1. Standard Penalty: The offending team receives a valued score only equalling 3 points for every bag that is in the hole. Any bags belonging to the offending team that are off the board or on the board are scored as 0 points. The team forfeits any remaining unthrown bags.
        2. Exception (1 Bag Left, Opponent Has 0): If the team that touched the bags still has just 1 bag left and their opponent has 0 bags remaining, that single remaining bag is dead and the round is ended and scored just like any round (no bonus points are earned by either team for unthrown bags).
      3. Non-Offending Team's Score (Bonus): The opposing (non-offending) team's score is calculated as follows:
        1. They earn 3 points for each bag still in hand (unthrown) at the time of the foul.
        2. They earn 3 points for every bag still in play on the board (bags valued at 1 point before the foul).
        3. Bags already in the hole count as their normal 3 points.
      4.  Final Score: Cancellation scoring is applied to the final calculated scores for the round.
  5. Scoring and Officials
    1. Games without Officials: Scores will be kept by the players. Players have until the end of the following round to determine that an incorrect score was input and make a correction. At the conclusion of the following round, the score is accepted as correct.
    2. Games with Officials (Livestream/TV): If an official incorrectly scores a round, players again have until the conclusion of the following round to make an appeal to the official on the score of the round.
    3. Official Scoring Accountability (New Protocol): On matches with an assigned official, the official is specifically responsible for ensuring the correct score is entered following any violation (e.g., foot foul, touching bags) before the next round begins. The official's confirmed score stands unless appealed by the conclusion of the following round.

5. PLAYER INTERACTION / PLAYER CONDUCT

  1. Prohibited Contact/Distraction: Players may not make contact with each other during gameplay, directly and obviously distract another player, or generally display unsportsmanlike conduct towards another player.
  2. Official Punishments (Conduct): Officials have the right to enact the following punishments for violations:
    1. Forfeit the player: Used for the most egregious displays of unprofessionalism.
    2. Score the round following the bag touching rule in 4.c.vii: Used for intentional violations where a player had active intent to disrupt an opponent.
    3. Forfeit the next bag by the player: Used for unintentional violations where a player’s accidental actions had a direct and obvious effect on an opponent’s pitch.
    4. Issue a warning: Used for intentional or unintentional actions that did not have a direct and obvious effect on an opponent’s pitch.
  3. Player Conduct Standard: The ACL and its officials reserve the right to deem any behavior inappropriate if it harms the integrity of the game or the reputation of the ACL.
  4. Discipline: Officials may award warnings to any players for inappropriate behavior (e.g., negative references toward the ACL, throwing bags in anger, cussing, fighting, etc.). If a player continues to display inappropriate behavior after a warning, the official reserves the right to disqualify the player for the remainder of the tournament and/or ban them for the entire season.
  5. Celebrations: Excessive celebrations that cause major delays are not acceptable. The opponent's shot clock will begin when the appropriate celebration ends. Excessive celebrations may lead to disciplinary actions as outlined in the ACL Player and Fan Code of Conduct.
  6. Headphones: Players are prohibited from wearing headphones or other audio listening devices while competing on a television or livestream broadcast stage.
  7. Coaching: “Coaching” of players by spectators, coaches, or teammates is allowed during gameplay.