This Nigerian chess master aims to raise money by playing the longest continuous game

By Emmanuel Akinwotu

Published April 19, 2024 at 6:51 PM EDT

Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York

Update - A few hours after this story aired on Friday April 19th, Tunde Onakoya, the Nigerian Chess master, broke the world record for the longest chess game - at 60 hours straight. He told one journalist he planned to go home and sleep.

Tags

NPR

Emmanuel Akinwotu

Emmanuel Akinwotu is an international correspondent for NPR. He joined NPR in 2022 from The Guardian, where he was West Africa correspondent.

WRVO is at a critical moment.

Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.

Support WRVO now