8-Year-Old Refugee Becomes Chess Champion

Tanitoluwa Adewumi, known as "Tani", an 8 years old boy, was recently awarded as chess champion from kindergarten to 3rd grade. This boy is a Nigerian refugee and lives in a homeless shelter in Manhattan. 

What is remarkable about Tani is that he learned how to play chess a bit more than a year ago. He now has 7 chess trophies next to his bed in the homeless shelter. 

Tani and his family fled from Nigeria in 2017 from a terrorist group named Boko Haram because they feared that they would attack the family since they are Christians. The family arrived in New York City more than a year ago and a pastor helped them find this homeless shelter. Tani attends an elementary school P.S. 116 which is where he also learned how to play chess. 

Articles mentioned that it is very unusual for a child from a homeless shelter would beat other kids who go to elite or private schools. Tani mentioned that he wants to be the youngest grandmaster. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/18/homeless-boy-nigerian-refugee-wins-new-york-state-chess-championship/3199959002/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/16/opinion/sunday/chess-champion-8-year-old-homeless-refugee-.html

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