In 2003, Texas Hold'Em was a relatively unknown sport, until Chris Moneymaker went from a common man to the World Series of Poker champion and turned $40 into $2.5 million. Before you knew it, high stakes games were being televised across cable and hold em boards were carried in every large store across the country. It looks as if another game, previously know to few, is about to make its breakout. The game of cornhole has long been a favorite of people living in the Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky area, but until just a few years ago it was unknown to all but a small group.

The rules of the game are pretty easy and most people vaguely remember the game, or a spinoff of the game, from their childhood. The only equipment you need is a couple of cornhole boards and a set of 8 cornhole bags. And better yet, it's a game that nearly anyone can play. The young can play on the same team as the old, the out of shape with the most sculpted athletes, and males can play against females. That is why the game is so popular for summer BBQ's and parties, you can setup a big tournament and not worry that some players will be at a disadvantage. A first timer can unseat a veteran in any game, at any time.

Where did the game come from? Well, its said that it was started by a group of farmers who had a little spare corn and some spare time. Ever since the invention, the game has popped up here and there around the country within certain groups of people, nothing concentrated though. Up until recently, if you wanted your own cornhole sets, you had to make it yourself . Even larger stores like Dick's Sporting Goods or Sportmart are carrying a plastic version of the game. Now plastic isn't the choice of most players, but it does at least show that the game is popular enough to warrant placement in a large store. Most people that purchase the game, though, purchase them through local retailers or from an ecommerce store that sells cornhole products.

The cornhole bags themselves are something that many people will purchase. While most people can muster up the skills to construct a set of boards, they don't have the patience or desire to learn how to make cornhole bags. While most people have a hammer and some nails, a sewing machine is a little harder to come by. Plus, unlike a set of cornhole boards, the bags do go through quite a bit of wear and tear and if you don't know what you are doing, they can break after just a little bit of play . That is the main reason people opt to puchase their cornhole bags from a retailer online, they are reasonably priced and they hold up well. This eventually saves them money in the long run

Most players that have some carpentry skills, will build their own set of bean bag boards. They do this because it can be expensive to have them shipped across the country. The awkward size of the board tends to bring the shipping cost to a point that most people don't want to pay. So, the option is to bring out your hammer, nails, and lumber and make one for yourself to save a few dollars. There are a lot of places to get the plans, you can either find them online or you can borrow a friend's set and take their measurements. The plans are easy enough to where anyone with some basic skills can construct a set. This will save you the expense of having them sent to you, but you'll make up for it with your time. For people that live in an urban environment, don't feel like making the boards, or if they live in an apartment or something, they find that just purchasing the boards and paying the shipping is a whole lot more convienient.

A lot of the appeal of the game comes from its simple nature. People can play against whoever, no matter what the skill set, and you can have a competitive game. Will the game grow as fast as Texas Hold Em'? Well that remains to be seen. Online poker has really helped everyone practice their poker game anytime of the day, in any season of the year, and against a wide variety of players. But, never fear, there are some crafty software developers that have put together a neat little virtual cornhole game. I can already see cornhole as the newest Olympic sport!