Tunde Onakoya Breaks Guinness World Record for Longest Chess Marathon

Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya has made history by officially breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, achieved this remarkable feat alongside his friend Shawn Martinez during a 70-hour chess marathon in Times Square, New York.

Onakoya took to social media to share the exciting news, posting a picture of himself with “RECORD BROKEN” boldly written in green over his head. He expressed his gratitude to all the dreamers and announced, “We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD ❤️🇳🇬.”

The chess marathon lasted for 62 hours, surpassing the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds set in 2024. Onakoya and Martinez continued playing until they reached their target of 70 hours, all in an effort to raise funds to build free schools for homeless children across Africa.

This achievement is not the first for Onakoya, who previously completed a 60-hour chess marathon in April 2024. His organization, Chess in Slums Africa, is known for using the game as a tool to promote education and empower children from low-income communities.

While Onakoya’s accomplishment is subject to verification by the GWR, his dedication to making a difference in the lives of children through chess is truly inspiring. Congratulations to Tunde Onakoya for breaking barriers and setting new records in the world of chess!