Tunde Onakoya is a Nigerian chess master who made history by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest unbeaten chess marathon. Onakoya’s journey to the record began on April 17th, 2019, in New York’s Times Square. His aim was to play chess for 58 hours straight and raise $1 million for underprivileged children’s education across Africa.
Onakoya ultimately ended up playing for a staggering 60 hours, surpassing the previous record of 56 hours and 9 minutes set in 2018. Throughout the marathon, Onakoya faced off against American chess champion Shawn Martinez while adhering to Guinness World Record guidelines.
Despite facing intense nausea and stomach pain from food poisoning, Onakoya’s commitment remained unwavering. He refused to quit, stating that he would keep playing “for the dreams of millions of children.” This unwavering determination fueled widespread support, with online cheers and encouragement from onlookers at the event.
Onakoya’s breaks were limited to just five minutes per hour, which means that he had to play continuously for almost three days with only small breaks in between. On his social media platform, the 29-year-old shared that food poisoning had prevented him from eating for most of the ordeal.
“Trying to catch up on social media, and I keep getting choked up,” he wrote in a post. “So much love to everyone. I’ll write a proper message once I can express all these emotions properly. But for now, let me devour this jollof rice. It’s my first meal in almost four days! Food poisoning hit me during the marathon, so I could only have water.”
Onakoya is a well-known figure in Nigeria, having established the “Chess in Slums” project in 2018. This initiative provides a safe space for underprivileged youth, many of whom lack access to education, to learn and enjoy the game of chess.
