Celebrating a Century of Chess

In July 2024, I had the privilege of participating in FIDE’s 100th-anniversary celebration—an extraordinary event that brought together chess players from all over the world to honor a century of chess excellence.

As part of the festivities, FIDE marked International Chess Day with a groundbreaking challenge: setting a Guinness World Record for the most chess games played in 24 hours. Inspired by FIDE’s 24-hour marathon, Africa hosted its own 12-hour tournament, awarding prizes to the top three male and female players.

Initially, I was unsure whether I could play for 12 consecutive hours. Starting at 2 PM, I dove in, taking only a short break to teach two classes before returning to the boards. I kept telling my husband I’d be done soon, but the sheer thrill of each new game pulled me back in, and, to my surprise, I made it to the very end.

In total, 333 players participated, playing an astonishing 6,368 games and making 438,686 moves. I personally played 110 games in 12 hours—far more than I had ever played in a single day. I finished 24th overall in the event and claimed 3rd place among the women.

Facing a variety of opponents—some of them familiar—was exhilarating, and I was delighted to place third among the women. This unforgettable experience tested my endurance and strengthened my passion for the game.