A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate has played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York’s Times Square to win the Guinness World Records title for the longest chess marathon.
Tunde Onakoya, 29, aims to raise US$1 million for children’s education across Africa through the record attempt that began on Wednesday.
He crossed the 58-hour mark at about 2:30am yesterday, surpassing the chess marathon record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds, achieved in 2018 by Hallvard Haug Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad, both from Norway.
Photo: AP
Guinness World Records has yet to publicly comment about Onakoya’s attempt. It sometimes takes weeks for the organization to confirm new records.
Onakoya played against Shawn Martinez, a US chess champion, in line with Guinness World Records guidelines that any attempt to break the record must be made by two players who would play continuously for the entire duration.
Support had been growing online and at the scene, where a blend of African music kept onlookers and supporters entertained amid cheers and applause.
The record attempt is “for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education,” said Onakoya, who founded Chess in Slums Africa in 2018.
The organization seeks to support the education of at least 1 million children in slums across the continent.
“My energy is at 100 percent right now because my people are here supporting me with music,” Onakoya said on Thursday evening after the players crossed the 24-hour mark.
On Onakoya’s menu: Lots of water and jollof rice, one of West Africa’s best-known dishes.
For every hour of game played, Onakoya and his opponent were allowed only a five-minute break. The breaks were sometimes grouped together, and Onakoya used them to catch up with Nigerians and New Yorkers cheering him on. He even joined in with their dancing sometimes.
A total of US$22,000 was raised within the first 20 hours of the attempt, said Taiwo Adeyemi, Onakoya’s manager.
“The support has been overwhelming from Nigerians in the US, global leaders, celebrities and hundreds of passersby,” he said.
Onakoya’s attempt was closely followed in Nigeria, where he regularly organizes chess competitions for young people living on the streets.
More than 10 million children are out of school in the West African country — one of the world’s highest rates.
Among those who have supported him are celebrities and public officeholders, including former Nigerian vice president Yemi Osinbajo.
“Remember your own powerful words: ‘It is possible to do great things from a small place,’” he wrote to Onakoya on X.
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