He’s on the verge of a major checkmate!
A Nigerian chess whiz has been playing the game for more than 50 consecutive hours in Times Square to break a world record — defeating a line-up of skilled players despite a royal lack of sleep.
Tunde Onakoya, 29, of Lagos, is making moves to beat the current Guinness record for “longest chess marathon” at 56 hours, 9 minutes with help from a rotating cast of competitors.
“It’s like playing against Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, you’re starstruck,” said Bernard Chong, 43, a Filipino angel investor who lost a match to the chess master. “I made a small mistake and he pounced.”
Onakoya said he’s been guzzling coffee and refraining from eating to stay alert enough to play more than 197 matches of the mentally taxing game.
“I’m exhausted,” he told The Post Friday afternoon. “My mind is sharp but my body is tired.”
Onakoya — who wiped the floor with a New York Post reporter in just 12 minutes — said the predawn hours were the most difficult, he said.
“Around 4 a.m. this morning was the hardest struggle, just to stay awake. But I’ve pushed past that hurdle and the rest is just a matter of tenacity,” he said. “I think I can see it through to the very end from here.”
Onakoya said he got off to a rocky start Thursday by accidentally drinking a coffee with milk despite his lactose intolerance, which made him sick.
Onakoya, who is raising money for The Gift of Chess and Chess in Slums Africa charities, set up a sign-up sheet for challengers.
They have included a local pro, a financial industry worker and a chess teacher.
Tyler Schwartz, 39, of Sunset Park, who is ranked among the top 10% of chess players internationally, said Onkoya is mentally tough.
“You can tell he’s definitely tired but he’s still playing great,” said Schwartz,, whose ranking comes via lichess.com
“He’s not playing physically as fast, he’s moving the pieces slowly because he’s exhausted, but mentally he’s incredibly tough and with it.”
Onakoya spent most of the time playing Shawn Martinez, 34, of East Harlem though the pair didn’t keep track of wins and losses.
“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know how I’m doing this. I’m running on fumes — energy drinks, coffees, teas,” Martinez said. “I haven’t had a complete meal in the last three days. I don’t want to get sleepy like after a big Thanksgiving dinner.”
The current chess marathon record was set in 2018 at 56 hours, 9 minutes and by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad of Norway.
