Vomit, Badgers, And Crawling Spiders: The Epic Story Of JJ's 92-Hour Chess Marathon

Most people struggle to stay awake for more than 18 hours. FM Joran Aulin-Jansson played 701 blitz games for 92 hours and 26 minutes straight.

Last week Tunde Onakoya overcame intense vomiting, stomach pain, and extreme tiredness to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. While Onakoya is set to deservedly get his name into the records book if officially approved, it's not the longest chess marathon.

Aulin-Jansson, by many known as just 'JJ,' is a well-known chess organizer, former president of the Norwegian Chess Federation, and a current FIDE vice president. Most of all, he just loves chess, which is clear from his insane feat 40 years ago.

Aulin-Jansson set an almost unbreakable record when he played chess for 92 hours and 26 minutes—almost four days. "This was a far worse experience than I could've ever imagined," the then 22-year-old told local media at the time. 

The record attempt took place at a window of the local bank in Skien, Norway in 1984, and was covered by national news at the time. It was likely the first time a national chess event was covered on TV.

"We missed a signature. It was never received," Aulin-Jansson explains to Chess.com on why the record was never approved. "The Guinness record at the time was 90 hours. I intended to beat that and the organizer wanted me to end it after 92 hours and 26 minutes as it would be good for media attention. I think I could've made it to 100 hours."

Aulin-Jansson, rated around 2100, played a total of 701 blitz games against 42 different opponents, provided to him by the local chess club. He won 549 games, drawing 39, and losing only 113 games.

The conditions were the same as Onakoya's record in Times Square, and Aulin-Jansson could take five-minute breaks every hour, or save up time to take a longer break of maximum one hour.

The 62-year-old says he coped with the tiredness by smoking like a chimney, drinking coke, and coffee and eating tablets of caffeine. A doctor checked in on him every day.

"The first day was all fine. During the night of the second day, I started struggling. Then things started happening at night. A badger came running on the streets outside. I was sitting in the window playing chess, so that was fun and kept me awake."

While the badger likely was real, what came next during the third night wasn't. His body reacted how you can expect after almost four sleepless days.

"When I had collected enough time for a break to take a shower, I suddenly saw spiders crawling up my legs. I panicked. Thankfully it was just a hallucination."

When I had collected enough time for a break to take a shower, I suddenly saw spiders crawling up my legs. I panicked. Thankfully it was just a hallucination.

—Joran Aulin-Jansson

At some point, the doctor saved him by giving him some eyedrops. That night, the organizer also showed up with some food that likely also helped him go on longer.

"After the last crisis, where I got a rotten chicken and vomited like a pig, my body woke up again due to the adrenalin. My pulse went up to 200 after that."

After the last crisis, where I got a rotten chicken and vomited like a pig, my body woke up again due to the adrenalin. My pulse went up to 200 after that.

—Joran Aulin-Jansson

According to TV footage and documentation, the record at the time was held by German player Adalbert Leis. It's not clear why the record was never registered by Guinness, but the organization is known to have strict verification procedures and could have made changes to the regulations.

Another attempt was made by French GM Arnaud Hauchard in 2007, who played for 83 hours and 30 minutes. That record was also never registered or approved by Guinness.

Longest Chess Marathons

Aulin-Jansson says he is fine with the record not being approved, and he is highly impressed by Onakoya's achievement, noting:

"I am positive to anything that can give chess attention. I am also fine with not calling what I did a world record," he says, noting: "I will never do this again!"

I will never do this again!

—Joran Aulin-Jansson

Whether Onakoya's record will be officially approved by Guinness remains to be seen. In June podcast duo Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn will make an attempt to surpass that record by playing on for more than 60 hours.

The event will take place in June during Norway Chess in Stavanger, Norway and will be covered live by Chess.com.