Nigerian chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon after surpassing the existing record of 61 hours.
Alongside United States chess master Shawn Martinez, Onakoya crossed the 62-hour mark on Sunday and is now aiming to complete the feat in an ambitious 70 hours.
“For all the dreamers! We’ve officially broken the record!” Onakoya announced on X.com on Sunday.
After surpassing the 50-hour mark, Onakoya stressed that the goal of the marathon is not just to break a record but to raise awareness and support for building the largest free school for homeless children in Nigeria.
He wrote: “If you had 70 hours to change the world, what would you do? Sometimes the world won’t hand you 70 hours on a golden platter. Sometimes, you have to carve it out of your own breath, your own becoming. Not for applause. Not for records. But for the quiet dreamers who need to see someone leap—so they know it’s possible to fly.
“It’s been over 50 hours of chess beneath the lights of Times Square.
Every move, every hour, a love letter to children who’ve never known the luxury of a second chance. If your heart has ever burned for something bigger than yourself, come find us. Stand with us.
“Proceeds from my limited edition chess sets will go directly towards our fundraising goal: to build a tuition-free school for homeless children. This is a dream I’ve carried for years. Because no child should ever have their childhood sacrificed for survival. No dream should be buried beneath the weight of poverty.”
The chess marathon, held at the iconic Times Square in New York City, began on Wednesday, April 17, and is expected to conclude on Sunday, April 20.
At one point during the challenge, Martinez’s wife brought their newborn twins to the site, offering a touching family moment amid the intense competition.
Children were also invited to play chess for a few hours during the event.
This marks Onakoya’s second attempt at the prestigious record.
In April 2024, he completed a 60-hour chess marathon alongside U.S. chess master Shawn Martinez, surpassing the 56-hour record previously set in 2018 by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad.
However, their achievement was short-lived, as another pair of Norwegian players set a new record of 61 hours, 3 minutes and 34 seconds just two months later, in June 2024.
One year later, Onakoya and Martinez embarked on a 70-hour chess marathon to reclaim the title and set a new world record.
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