Nigerian chess advocate and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, is set to attempt a 70-hour chess marathon at New York’s Times Square from April 17 to 20, 2025, in a powerful bid to raise global awareness and support for homeless children in Nigeria.
Announcing the effort in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Onakoya described the mission as “bigger than chess,” stating his dream is to inspire the world and build the largest free school for homeless children in Nigeria.
“My dream is to inspire the world and raise support to build the biggest free school for homeless children in Nigeria,” he shared.
This marks Onakoya’s second attempt at the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. In April 2024, he and U.S. chess master Shawn Martinez played non-stop for 60 hours, breaking the previous 56-hour record set by Norway’s Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad. However, their victory was short-lived — two other Norwegians surpassed it in June 2024 with a 61-hour chess session.
Undeterred, Onakoya and Martinez now aim to set a new benchmark at 70 hours.
In a touching gesture, five children from the Chess in Slums Africa program will travel to New York with Onakoya. Although they won’t take part in the full marathon, they’ll join in for a few hours. Onakoya is also encouraging chess enthusiasts across New York to come challenge the young players — who he says prove that “great things can come from small places.”
The initiative blends endurance, hope, and education — using chess not only as a game but as a global tool for transformation and advocacy.
