Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya, founder of Chess in Slums Africa, has again broken the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, crossing the 61-hour mark in New York City alongside American chess champion Shawn Martinez.
The duo surpassed the previous benchmark of 61 hours early Sunday morning and is now pushing toward an ambitious 70-hour goal. The marathon, staged at the heart of Times Square, began on Wednesday, April 17, and is expected to end Sunday, April 20.
Announcing the milestone via X (formerly Twitter), Onakoya wrote, “For all the dreamers! We’ve officially broken the record!”
But the chess campaign, according to Onakoya, is about more than just setting a record. “It’s been over 50 hours of chess beneath the lights of Times Square. Every move, every hour, a love letter to children who’ve never known the luxury of a second chance,” he shared. “If your heart has ever burned for something bigger than yourself, come find us. Stand with us.”
Onakoya emphasised that the marathon aims to raise awareness and funds to establish Nigeria’s largest tuition-free school for homeless children. “Proceeds from my limited edition chess sets will go directly towards our fundraising goal,” he stated. “Because no child should ever have their childhood sacrificed for survival.”
