“We are going to make chess history and get into the Guinness World Records.”

These are the words uttered by chess experts Askild Bryn and Odin Blikra Vea, known from the Norwegian podcast Sjakksnakk. Together, they will attempt to break the Guinness record for the “Longest Chess Marathon” during this year’s Norway Chess 2024 tournament, held in Finansparken, Stavanger!

Somewhat surprisingly, in the small country of Norway, Askild and Odin are not the first Norwegians to have broken this record before. They are also not the first to break the record during the Norway Chess tournament itself.

In 2015, the then-record was broken by Norwegians Magne Sagafoss and Joachim Berg-Jensen at Scandic Stavanger Forus during Norway Chess. They played for 40 hours and 40 minutes – a record improved by 20 minutes from the previous one.

Today, two other Norwegians hold the record; Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad from Haugesund. Their record stands at a whopping 56 hours and 9 minutes!

This coming June, Askild and Odin will attempt to beat it. To achieve this, they must play chess continuously for up to an incredible 60 hours.

The record attempt will happen in parallel with Norway Chess 2024, and livestreamed on Chess.com, the world’s largest chess website with over 150 million members and covered by Norwegian and international media.

As an audience member, you can witness this incredible record stunt and follow along eagerly between chess rounds.

Go, Askild and Odin!