Chess isn’t just a game. It’s a battleground, a brain war, and sometimes, a record-breaking stage.
The Guinness World Records in chess prove that. From insane hours of nonstop play to blindfold battles, these feats are mind-blowing.
In this article, we’ll be taking a dive into the arena of record breakers in the world of chess.
Most Mind-Blowing Chess Records
Records are meant to be created and broken; this saying is not lost on chess. That said, here are 10 of the most impressive chess records created by exceptional individuals.
- Longest Chess Marathon: Tunde Onakoya and Shawn Martinez
- Most Chess Games Played in 24 Hours: International Chess Day, July 20, 2024
- Youngest Chess Grandmaster: Abhimanyu Mishra
- Most Simultaneous Blindfold Chess Games: Timur Gareyev
- Largest Collection of Chess Sets: Tumen-Ulzii Zandraa
- Fastest Time to Arrange a Chess Set: S. Odelia Jasmine
- Largest Chess Piece, 6.09 meters King : World Chess Museum
- Largest Chess Set: 5.89 meters by 5.89 meters
- Longest Chess Game: Ivan Nikolić and Goran Arsović
- Highest Chess Rating: Magnus Carlsen
We will now go into a little more detail about these records.
Longest Chess Marathon: Tunde Onakoya and Shawn Martinez
Tunde and Shawn after receiving the Guinness World Records award. Photo Credits: @Tunde Onakoya on X
“It is possible to do great things from a small place” is Tunde Onakoya’s favorite quote, and the amazing chess player showed exactly that by smashing the record for the longest Chess Marathon. Tunde Onakoya and Shawn Martinez continuously played chess games for 64 hours, breaking the previous record.
The event was also geared toward raising awareness for child education in Africa.
Most Chess Games Played in 24 Hours: July 20, 2024
On International Chess Day, July 20, 2024, a global initiative led to 7,284,970 chess games being played within 24 hours. These games were played online and over the board and helped set a Guinness World Record.
Youngest Chess Grandmaster: Abhimanyu Mishra
Abhimanyu Mishra. Photo Credits: David Llada
Wonderkids are one of the jewels of chess. Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra embodies what it means to be a wonderkid and chess prodigy. This young maestro holds the world record of the youngest player to become a grandmaster in the history of chess. He achieved the title at 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days.
Most Simultaneous Blindfold Chess Games: Timur Gareyev
Timur Gareyev. Photo Credits: FIDE
Playing chess with your eyes open is already challenging as it is. Now imagine playing not one, not two, but 48 different opponents with your eyes closed!
It would require an incredible memory and superhuman mental strength to achieve that, but Timur Gareyev did exactly that.
In December 2016, Grandmaster Timur Gareyev played 48 opponents simultaneously while blindfolded at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Largest Collection of Chess Sets: Tumen-Ulzii Zandraa
Some chess players enjoy collecting different chess sets, from luxury sets to tournament sets and even electronic chess sets. However, one individual is in a league of his own when it comes to collecting sets. Tumen-Ulzii Zandraa from Mongolia holds the record for the largest collection of chess sets, with 438 unique sets.
Fastest Time to Arrange a Chess Set: S. Odelia Jasmine
One of the exercises new chess players are taught is arranging a chess set. But did you know the record for the fastest time someone ever did it?
S. Odelia Jasmine from India holds this record. On July 20, 2021, she performed this incredible feat by arranging a standard chess set in just 29.85 seconds in Puducherry, India.
Largest Chess Piece: 6.09 meters king
The largest chess piece. Photo Credits: Pinterest
The largest chess piece was a king piece made in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, on April 6, 2018, by the World Chess Museum. It measures 6.09m, which is 20 feet tall, and 2.79m (9 ft 2 in) in diameter at its base. It is 53 times the size of a standard king. So, when next you try to castle your king, imagine how much effort it would take to move this king to safety.
Largest Chess Set: 5.89 meters by 5.89 meters
The largest chess set. Photo Credits: Medicine Hat Chess Club
The Medicine Hat Chess Club in Canada made the largest chess set. It measures 5.89 meters by 5.89 meters (19 feet 4 inches by 19 feet 4 inches), with the king piece standing 119 cm (47 inches) tall.
Longest Chess Game: Ivan Nikolić and Goran Arsović
Longest Chess Game. Photo Credits: Unknown
Have you ever played a chess game that seemed to go on forever? Well, two gentlemen went a step further than you.
Ivan Nikolić and Goran Arsović both played a chess game that lasted 269 moves, which ultimately ended in a draw. Talk about grinding it out.
Highest Chess Rating: Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen. Photo Credits: Lennart Ootes
And the record for the highest chess rating goes to none other than the Mozart of chess: Magnus Carlsen. The former World Champion holds the record for the highest ever rating: 2882. It would take a whole lot to beat this rating.
Honorable Mentions
- Most Simultaneous Games of Chess: Ehsan Ghaem Maghami played 135 simultaneous chess games.
- The smallest hand-made chess set: Ara Davidi Ghazaryan created the smallest hand-made chessboard, measuring eight millimeters by eight millimeters.
- Largest chess lesson: The record for the largest chess lesson was achieved by two Muttenz chess clubs and two Muttenz schools on 20th September 2018 in Muttenz, Switzerland.
- Oldest chess pieces: The oldest chess pieces were found at Nashipur, dated as far back as c.AD 900.
- Highest Chess Rating, Women: Judit Polgar holds the record for the highest chess rating achieved by a female chess player. She achieved a peak Elo rating of 2735 in July 2005.
Why These Records Matter
These aren’t just cool facts. They show how chess connects with life. Some records push physical endurance, others celebrate brainpower, and a few are quirky and fun. But they all show one thing: Chess isn’t just a board game. It’s a culture.
Conclusion
From blindfold records to giant kings, chess never stops surprising us. These Guinness World Records prove how far people go for the game. Some train for months. Others play for days. What record would you try to break? Maybe the fastest checkmate in history? Whatever it is, one thing is clear. Chess is more than sixty-four squares. It’s a playground for legends.
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