A Nigerian man has set the Guinness World Record for “longest chess marathon” after enjoying for practically 5 straight days.
Tunde Onakoya, 29, started his 60-hour chess recreation in Times Square in New York City on Wednesday, April 17, earlier than calling it quits at 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, stated The Associated Press.
The earlier document was 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds, and was set in 2018 by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad of Norway, stated the AP.
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Guinness World Records has but to substantiate that the document was damaged; this course of can take weeks, the AP famous.
Onakoya performed his chess recreation in opposition to American chess participant Shawn Martinez.
The guidelines of the document state {that a} participant has to play the identical participant for the whole thing of the chess marathon.
![two men playing chess](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/04/1200/675/AP24110517989800.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Tunde Onakoya, proper, a Nigerian chess champion and baby schooling advocate, just lately set the document for “longest chess marathon” after a 60-hour recreation in Times Square in New York City. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Onakoya and Martinez have been permitted to take a five-minute break for every hour of chess they performed.
These breaks “were sometimes grouped together,” stated the Associated Press, and Onakoya was cheered on by a crowd each on-line and in particular person all through the document try.
“The support has been overwhelming from Nigerians in the U.S., global leaders, celebrities and hundreds of passersby,” he informed the AP.
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Among the individuals following Onakoya’s document try was former Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Osinbajo posted on X (previously referred to as Twitter) a reminder for Onakoya to “remember your own powerful words: ‘It is possible to do great things from a small place.'”
Onakoya and his opponent have been solely allowed a five-minute break for each hour of chess they performed. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
With the document try, Onakoya hopes to boost $1 million for youngsters’s schooling in Africa.
He raised $22,000 the primary day of his document try, stated the Associated Press.
Expanding instructional alternatives for poor youngsters in Africa is certainly one of Onakoya’s passions.
He is founding father of Chess in Slums Africa, a corporation that teaches youngsters who’re dwelling in excessive poverty learn how to play chess.
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“As a result of using chess as a tool for socioeconomic transformation, we have succeeded in securing lifelong scholarships for over 200 children from indigent homes,” says the web site for Chess in Slums Africa.
At the 24-hour mark, Onakoya stated his power was “at 100% right now” because of the assist of people that have been following his try and set the document.
Onakoya is founding father of Chess in Slums Africa, a nonprofit group that teaches chess to youngsters dwelling in poverty. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
There are many Guinness World Records associated to chess video games, chess items and chess units, says the group’s web site.
The document for “largest chess piece” is at present held by a 20-foot-tall king piece positioned on the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri, stated Guinness.
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On the opposite finish of the dimensions spectrum, the document for “smallest handmade chess set” belongs to Ara Davidi Ghazaryan of Los Angeles.
Ghazarian, an artist, made an 8mm-by-8mm chess set to realize the document on August 22, 2020.
The particular person items are 1mm to 2.4mm tall, stated Guinness.
And on Feb. 17, 1989, chess masters Ivan Nokolic and Goran Arsovic of what was then Yugoslavia performed a 269-move recreation of chess, setting the document for “most moves in a chess game.”
That recreation, stated Guinness, took 20 hours and quarter-hour and resulted in a draw.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
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