Checkmate To The World! Tunde Onakoya Sets New Guinness Record In Epic Chess Showdown

Nigerian chess prodigy and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has made history by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

On Sunday, Onakoya and his American chess partner, Shawn Martinez, achieved the incredible milestone after playing chess non-stop for 64 hours in Times Square, New York.

This effort eclipsed the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, set in 2024 by Norway’s Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn.

Refusing to stop at the minimum, Onakoya and Martinez continued playing until they hit their ambitious 70-hour target — a move fueled by a noble mission: to raise global awareness and funds to build tuition-free schools for homeless children across Africa.

“This is for the dreams of millions of African children without access to education,” Onakoya declared passionately during the marathon.

While the feat awaits official certification from Guinness World Records, Onakoya’s performance — already surpassing the 62-hour mark — has set a new benchmark, shining a spotlight on both the chess world and the urgent need for educational access among vulnerable children.

Notably, this isn’t Onakoya’s first attempt. In April 2024, he completed a 60-hour chess session, surpassing the earlier 56-hour record held by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018 — though that attempt was not officially recognized by Guinness.