VIDEO: Tunde Onakoya begins 70-hour chess marathon in New York

17 Apr 2025, 20:16 by Taiwo Oshunloye · TheCable Lifestyle

Tunde Onakoya has embarked on his second attempt to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon.

The Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa commenced the attempt on Thursday at the Times Square, New York City.

The chess guru aims to play several chess games for 70 hours without losing a single game.

Onakoya is only allowed five-minute breaks every hour during the course of the attempt.

In a recent X post, Onakoya shared a video of the countdown leading to his world record attempt as he was surrounded by fans cheering him on.

The chess master had disclosed that his motivation to break the record is to raise support for building free schools for homeless children in Nigeria.

In April 2024, Onakoya completed a 60-hour chess marathon, playing alongside US chess master Shawn Martinez.

The feat had surpassed the previous 56-hour record held by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, and set in 2018.

The GWR, however, remained silent on the Nigerian chess champion’s feat and announced Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn, two men from Norway, as the new record holders.

Blikra Vea and Bryn “earned a place in history” after playing chess for 61 hours, 03 minutes, and 34 seconds.

Last week, Onakoya disclosed that he and Martinez will attempt to break that record and set a new one for 70 hours.

He also revealed that he will be joined by five children from Chess in Slums Africa, who “have shown all of us that it is possible to do great things from a small place”.

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