How Much Spin and Angle?

Most cornhole players seem to spin the bag as they throw these days, but is there a difference between having a lot of rotation on the bag or not? Also, how does the angle at which the bag flies affect the way the bag lands or reacts on the board. These are questions that many professional cornhole players are able to answer and implement into the way they play.

Spinning the bag allows it to sail through the air more smoothly and work against the force of the wind in outdoor play. The more you spin it, the easier it is to negate the effect of the wind. However, sometimes no matter how much you spin the bag, the wind may be too powerful and blow it out of the sky. Putting more spin on your bag has another advantage that others may not be aware of. If you ever play in a tournament that uses brand new bags, this may be useful. New bags are usually very stiff and the corners can get stuck on the hole. Spinning the bag more can help force the bag into the hole and prevent the corners from getting stuck. It can also help the bag slide through a narrow lane of other bags on the board.

The angle of the bag can affect the way it lands on the board. For the most part, bags will slide straight forward if the bag is somewhat "flat" in the air. Depending on the type of boards and bags you use, you may be able to lean the bag on a certain angle so it curves to the left or right when it lands on the board. This is a bit difficult to explain, but when the left half of the bag is higher in the air than the right side, the bag will make a small jump to the left when it hits the board. Conversely, if the bag leans to the right it will jump to the right. This is an excellent shot to have in your arsenal when your opponent tries to block the hole.