By Deborah Nnamdi
Tunde Onakoya, renowned Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, has embarked on his second ambitious quest to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon.
The challenge kicked off on Thursday in the heart of New York City’s Times Square, where Onakoya is aiming to play chess non-stop for 70 hours—without suffering a single defeat.
According to GWR guidelines, participants are allowed only a five-minute break per hour throughout the marathon.
In a video shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Onakoya posted a countdown to the event, surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd rallying in support of his mission.
But this record attempt is about more than just making history. Onakoya has made it clear that the real driving force behind his effort is to raise funds for building free schools for homeless children in Nigeria—an initiative central to the mission of Chess in Slums Africa.
This isn’t his first record-breaking attempt. Back in April 2024, Onakoya completed an intense 60-hour chess marathon alongside American chess master Shawn Martinez, surpassing the previous 56-hour record held by Norwegian duo Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad since 2018.
Despite their efforts, the 60-hour feat wasn’t officially recognized by Guinness. Instead, the record was later awarded to Norwegians Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn, who played for 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds.
Determined to officially set a new benchmark, Onakoya announced last week that he and Martinez would return to the board—this time with a 70-hour target in their sights.
Joining him in this extraordinary journey are five young talents from the Chess in Slums Africa program. As Onakoya proudly puts it, they are proof that “it is possible to do great things from a small place.”
