Highly acclaimed chess expert, Tunde Onakoya, has embarked on a journey to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, aiming for an impressive 58 hours. Currently, he has been engaged in non-stop play for 16 hours, triumphing over every challenger he has faced.
The intense competition is unfolding at the vibrant Times Square in New York City, kicking off on Wednesday, April 17, with a planned conclusion on April 19.
Onakoya has managed to emerge victorious in all his matches so far, showcasing his skills even against formidable opponents like National Chess Master Shawn Martinez from New York.
An update on his progress, posted on his X handle, proclaimed his recent win, stating, “Tunde Onakoya defeats a highly skilled adversary and one of New York’s top players, National Chess Master Shawn Martinez!”
Providing insights into the grueling challenge, Onakoya’s manager, known as Taiwo under the X handle “OgaBoxx,” shared details of the gameplay. Taiwo revealed that after engaging in 15 hours of continuous matches with 12 opponents, Onakoya had to take a cumulative break of 30 minutes, adhering to the rules dictating a five-minute break for every hour of play.
Playing two sets of games simultaneously, Onakoya faces the pressure of not losing in either set, intensifying the stakes of the competition.
In the words of Taiwo, “The first set features a match against Shawn Martinez, a proficient US National Chess Master, which Onakoya must navigate successfully throughout the challenge. Meanwhile, the second set comprises encounters with random players, where every game is crucial. However, only the game against Shawn Martinez will count towards the record, disregarding the simultaneous matches with random opponents. New Yorkers, join in and play your part!”
According to reports from PUNCH Online, the event has attracted considerable attention and support from the Nigerian diaspora, rallying behind the chess prodigy in his quest.
Besides the global audience, Onakoya has also received uplifting messages from various notable Nigerian figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Atiku Abubakar – the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, showing abundant support and encouragement.
Further extending their best wishes, the US Mission Nigeria and UK Nigeria’s representatives conveyed their support to Onakoya through their respective channels.