Breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon is the current endeavor of Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya and his counterpart from the United States, Shawn Martinez. The challenge, which has already surpassed 23 hours, is taking place in the iconic Times Square of New York City and is expected to conclude on April 19.
An announcement by Onakoya’s foundation, Chess in Slums Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged children through chess education, revealed these details on Thursday.
Named “Chess in Slums Africa: Clarification and Updates on Tunde Onakoya’s Guinness World Record Attempt,” the statement provided insights into the regulations set by Guinness World Records for the challenge.
According to the statement, the record-breaking attempt necessitates a duo of players, with Tunde Onakoya representing Nigeria and facing off against Shawn Martinez from the US. Both players hold the title of National Masters.
Shawn Martinez, an esteemed US National Master, a renowned figure in the New York City chess community, and a respected chess coach, provides a strong challenge. The title is to be claimed jointly by Tunde Onakoya and Shawn Martinez.
Furthermore, the statement clarified that the record in question involves continuously playing chess for an extended period, with both players engaging in the match for the same duration.
Explaining the details, it stated, “The record focuses on the duration of continuous chess play, measured in hours, minutes, and seconds. The attempt is to be undertaken by a pair of players.”
As per the guidelines, the same individuals must compete against each other for the specified period. The challenge must be staged in a public venue accessible for public scrutiny, allowing a five-minute rest for every completed hour of play.
The statement emphasized that Onakoya’s objective is to sustain uninterrupted play for 58 hours against Martinez to raise $1,000,000 for the empowerment of children across Africa.
It added, “Our aim is to gather $1,000,000 to support more children across Africa through the initiatives of @chessinslumsafrica and @thegiftofchess.”
For official donation information, the statement recommended the recognized platforms such as @chessinslumsafrica (IG, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), @thegiftofchess (IG, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), @tunde_OD (Twitter), @tunde_onakoya (IG).
Onakoya’s manager, known as Taiwo with the username “OgaBoxx,” shared that Onakoya is simultaneously playing two sets of games, with the second involving random players. However, only the match against Shawn Martinez will count towards the record, requiring both players to see it through to the end and jointly hold the record.
According to Guinness World Records, the existing record for the longest chess marathon stands at 56 hours, 09 minutes, and 37 seconds, achieved by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad from Norway on November 11, 2018.