The speed chart is the most useful tool in cornhole bag selection — and the most misused. Players glance at it, see a number, and either buy the highest rating because it sounds fast or avoid it entirely because the two-number system doesn't make immediate sense.
Neither approach is right. The speed chart is a decision-making tool. Used correctly, it helps you narrow a lineup of twelve bags down to one or two that actually fit your throw, your playing surface, and your skill level. Used incorrectly, it's just a number that leads you to the wrong bag.
Here's how to actually read it.
What the Two Numbers Mean
Every bag in the Cornographix lineup is rated with two numbers separated by a slash — something like 6/9 or 7/9. The format is always slow side / fast side. The first number is the slow side rating. The second number is the fast side rating.
The slow side is the stopping side — usually carpet or suede fabric. A slow side rated 4 is very grippy. A slow side rated 6 has some give. The fast side is the sliding side — woven tournament fabric designed to move. A fast side rated 7 slides with control. A fast side rated 9 wants to fly.
A 6/9 bag doesn't mean the bag is "6 sometimes and 9 sometimes." It means you have two distinct tools in one bag: a 6 when you throw slow-side-down, a 9 when you throw fast-side-down. You're picking which side to use on every single throw.
Why Range Matters More Than a Single Number
A lot of players make the mistake of only looking at the fast side number. That's like buying a car based only on its top speed. The range between your two sides is where your strategic options live.
A bag rated 4/9 has a massive range — five full points between sides. That's a bag for players who need to do two completely different things depending on game situation: hard stopping for blocking, aggressive sliding for scoring. It requires a lot of mental switching and discipline to use both sides correctly.
A bag rated 6/8 has a narrow range — two points. It's more consistent but less versatile. Good for players who want predictable behavior and aren't yet comfortable managing wildly different side speeds.
| Range | Example Rating | Best For | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrow (1–2pt) | 6/8, 5/7 | Consistent all-around play, beginners to intermediate | Recreational to tournament entry |
| Medium (3pt) | 6/9, 5/8 | Versatile tournament play, most competitive levels | Intermediate to advanced |
| Wide (4–5pt) | 4/9, 4/8 | Strategic players who block and score on same set | Advanced, experienced tournament players |
Matching Speed to Your Throw Style
The number that matters most is the fast side — but only in relation to how you throw. Honest self-assessment here is everything.
Hard, Flat Throw
A flat throw with a lot of force means your bag arrives at the board with high horizontal velocity. Fast side bags (8–9) will slide through and off the back. You want a fast side in the 6–7 range so the bag can slow down naturally without you having to babysit your throw speed.
High Arc, Soft Landing
An arcing throw uses gravity to kill the horizontal momentum before the bag lands. When a bag drops in at a steep angle, it hits with less forward slide than a flat throw. This is the throw style that can actually use a 9-speed fast side effectively — the arc does the deceleration work, and the bag uses the remaining slide to cover the last few inches to the hole.
Mid-Range Throw
Most tournament players throw somewhere in the middle — moderate arc, moderate force. For this style, a 7/9 or 6/9 is the sweet spot. Enough fast side speed to be dangerous, slow side gripping enough to actually stop when you need it.
Matching Speed to Your Playing Surface
Board condition changes how a speed rating translates to real-world performance. The same 7-speed bag plays differently on a freshly lacquered tournament board versus a rough backyard plywood setup.
- Smooth, lacquered boards: Add roughly 0.5–1 speed point to your felt bag speed. A 7 feels like a 7.5 or 8. Favor the lower end of your range in these conditions.
- Rough or unfinished boards: Subtract 0.5–1 speed point. Your bags will feel slower than rated. You can go higher in speed to compensate.
- Outdoor boards in humidity: Humidity slows bags significantly. Check the humidity-specific guide for which bags are built to hold speed in these conditions.
How to Use the Speed Chart to Find Your Bag
Now that you understand what the numbers mean, here's the actual decision process — four questions to narrow the chart down to your bag:
- What's your throw style? Flat and hard = lower fast side (6–7). High arc and soft = higher fast side (8–9). This cuts the chart in half immediately.
- What surface do you mainly play on? Fast boards push you toward the lower end of whatever fast side range you picked. Slow boards push you toward the higher end.
- Do you play blocking-heavy or scoring-heavy cornhole? If you block a lot, you want a slow side that actually stops (4–5). If you play pure offense, a slow side of 6 is fine. This determines your range.
- What's your skill level? Be honest. A wide-range bag (4/9) in the hands of someone who hasn't mastered side selection is a bag that randomly plays like a 4 sometimes and a 9 other times. Narrower ranges are more forgiving while you develop the discipline to use both sides correctly.
Run those four filters against the Cornographix speed chart and you'll have one or two bags left standing. At that point, the choice comes down to feel and style — which is exactly where it should be. The chart isn't supposed to make the decision for you. It's supposed to eliminate the wrong answers so you can make a confident choice from the right ones.
Start here if you're new to the chart: Most intermediate tournament players are happy in the 6/9 range. It's versatile, it's forgiving of minor technique variations, and it performs across most surfaces. If you don't know where to start, start there — the Nympho Two Scoops is built for exactly that player.
