Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya has made history by setting a new Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon, clocking an incredible 64 hours of continuous play at Times Square in New York City.
Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, achieved the feat on Sunday, playing alongside his American chess partner, Shawn Martinez. The duo surpassed the previous world record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds set in 2024 by Norwegian players Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn.
Despite breaking the record after crossing the 62-hour mark, Onakoya and Martinez pressed on to reach a 70-hour goal, a symbolic move to raise global awareness and funding for a powerful cause — building free schools for homeless children across Africa.
“Doing this for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education,” Onakoya declared during the live-streamed event, drawing applause from onlookers and supporters worldwide.
Okay.ng reports that this historic achievement follows Onakoya’s earlier attempt in April 2024, when he played for 60 hours, surpassing the then-record of 56 hours. However, that attempt was never officially certified by Guinness World Records.
