- Onakoya broke the record by playing the game continuously for 60 hours.
- Onakoya broke the record to earn $1 million (£800,000) for education for underprivileged children in Africa.
- There was just a five-minute break for Onakoya and his opponent for every hour of gameplay.
Champion chess player from Nigeria Tunde Onakoya broke the record by playing the game continuously for 60 hours to earn $1 million (£800,000) for education for underprivileged children in Africa.
By rules requiring a minimum of two players to play continuously for the whole duration of any record attempt, 29-year-old Onakoya faced up against US Chess Champion Shawn Martinez.
Cash for child education
Online and in-person, support for Onakoya’s effort has been increasing as African music thrilled onlookers at the scene. The nonprofit organization Chess in Slums Africa seeks to assist one million or more of the most impoverished youngsters on the continent with their education.
Onakoya credited his people’s support—who gave him water and music—for keeping him going for the full twenty-four hours. There was just a five-minute break for Onakoya and his opponent for every hour of gameplay. Onakoya was able to meet and even participate in the cheering of his supporters when they were gathered together.
The reaction from Nigerians in the US, world leaders, celebrities, and hundreds of bystanders has been extraordinary, according to Onakoya’s manager, Taiwo Adeyemi. In Nigeria, where he frequently hosts chess tournaments for young people who are homeless, his quest to break the record was keenly watched.
