Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya, alongside US National master Shawn Martinez, has officially shattered the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, clocking in an astonishing 64 hours of nonstop play.
Surpassing the previous record of 61 hours held by two Norwegian players, Tunde didn’t just move pawns and rooks, he moved mountains.
“For all the dreamers! We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD,” he declared, his voice thick with exhaustion and triumph. Coincidentally, the number 64 wasn’t . “It’s the total number of squares on the chessboard,” Tunde explained. “It felt poetic. Like the perfect full-circle moment.”
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Beyond the record
This wasn’t just about endurance. Behind every move, every weary blink, was a mission far greater than personal glory.
Tunde Onakoya’s marathon was a bold play to raise $1 million to build a free school for homeless children in Nigeria, where chess could become a lifeline—a way to teach strategy, patience, and hope.
“Chess changed my life,” Tunde has often said. Now, he’s ensuring it changes the lives of children who’ve been dealt the hardest hands.
A personal best, a global impact
Even before this victory, Tunde had pushed his limits, setting a 60-hour personal record in 2024. But this time, with Shawn Martinez as his steadfast partner and the world watching, he redefined what’s possible.
Though his initial goal was 70 hours, he listened to the poetry in the pause—stopping at 64, a number etched into the very fabric of the game he loves.
As the Guinness World Record plaque finds its place in his hands, Tunde Onakoya’s true win isn’t just in the hours logged, but in the lives he’s inspiring to dream bigger, fight harder, and play the long game—both on and off the board.
