From grass to grace

10-year-old Nigerian boy who was once homeless becomes US national chess master

A Nigerian boy, Tani Adewumi, who made headlines after emerging winner of the New York chess championship in 2019, has secured another win to officially become a national chess master at 10.
It was learnt that the game Adewunmi, who is in 5th grade, played to snag the national title was that of the Chess Club of Fairfield County (CCFC). It was earlier billed to hold on May 1, 2021.

Adewumi came into the global limelight two years ago after he was discovered and described as a homeless chess genius.
Kristof said that years ago the young chess player was very lucky that his homeless shelter was close to a chess school where he was later given the opportunity to study for free.
According to the US chess federation, the national chess master title is for any player who reaches a “2200 rating”, The Cable reports
In 2019, Adewunmi, whose family had fled Nigeria for the US over the Boko Haram crisis, made the headlines after winning the 2019 New York chess championship while living in a homeless center on religious asylum