The Homeless Chess Champion
This story is about a remarkable boy from Nigeria/who became a chess champion in the United States. You will learn about his family,/how he learned to play chess,/and how he excelled as a chess player. This story was originally written for The New York Times /by Nicholas Kristof,/a well-known journalist.
Eight-year-old Tani,/a Nigerian refugee living in a Manhattan homeless shelter,/proudly carried a large trophy to his room. Despite his uncertain future,/he was filled with joy.
Tani had recently won first place in his division/at the New York State chess championship. What was extraordinary about him/was that he had learned chess/just over a year ago. His dream was to become the youngest grand master.
Tani and his family left Nigeria in 2017/as refugees. The following year,/they found a place in a homeless shelter in New York City/with the help of a pastor. Tani entered a local elementary school,/which had a chess teacher. He loved the game so much/that he asked his mother to find out/how he could join the chess club.
His mother sent an email to the club,/expressing her son’s wish to join. She added/that she could not pay the fees for the club/because the family was living in a shelter. The person in charge of the club/decided not to charge any fees. Soon after joining the club,/Tani took part in his first tournament/and had the lowest rating of all the participants. But his playing soon got better.
In the state tournament,/which was held a year later,/the coaches were shocked/when Tani gave away a valuable piece. They checked the move with a computer. The computer showed/that the move would improve his position/several moves later.
“Tani’s story is a good example/of how life’s challenges do not define a person,”/said the principal of Tani’s school. Tani didn’t have a home,/but he had caring parents/who took him to every chess practice/and he did his best.
Tani still faced difficult moments at times. He once came home in tears/because his classmates had made fun of him/for being homeless. Despite difficulties,/however,/he practiced chess every evening,/preparing for the elementary national championship.
“He is so motivated,”/said his school chess teacher. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles/than other kids. He just wants to be better.”
The story of the 8-year-old refugee/continued on. After I shared Tani’s story in my newspaper column,/a fund drive I had started/raised more than $200,000 for Tani and his family. Several readers offered housing. Out of the various housing offers,/the family chose a modest apartment. A kind person offered to cover the rent/for a whole year.
And the story got even better. Tani and his family made a selfless decision/regarding the $200,000. They would keep 10 percent for themselves/and donate 90 percent to their church,/which had helped them/when they were homeless. The rest of the funds would be used/to help African immigrants/struggling in the United States,/just as Tani and his family had been/not so long ago.
I asked Tani’s parents/how they could turn down/such a huge amount of money.
“We are hardworking people,”/Tani’s father explained. He worked as a driver,/as well as a real estate agent,/and Tani’s mother had passed a course/to become a home caregiver.
I asked Tani what he thought. He shrugged,/saying,/“I want to help other kids.”
I pressed him,/asking,/“Is there anything in particular/you might like to have?” After a long silence,/he said,/“Maybe a computer.”
Tani was offered a full scholarship/from top private schools. But he and his parents chose to stay loyal/to the public elementary school,/which taught him chess/without asking for fees for the chess club.
I wondered:/Is this kid really that good? It turns out he is. Now a fifth grader,/Tani participated in a tournament in Connecticut,/which was open to advanced players of all ages. Astonishingly,/he came out as the winner of every game. He was granted the title of national master.
At age 10,/Tani became the 28th-youngest chess master/in the United States. Garry Kasparov,/a former world chess champion,/said,/“I’m delighted to see Tani’s rapid progress.”
We can be inspired/by the wisdom of America’s newest chess master. I asked Tani/how he feels when he loses.
“When I lose,/I have made a mistake,/and that can help me learn,”/he told me. “I never lose. I learn.”
This story is about a remarkable boy from Nigeria/who became a chess champion in the United States. You will learn about his family,/how he learned to play chess,/and how he excelled as a chess player. This story was originally written for The New York Times /by Nicholas Kristof,/a well-known journalist.
Eight-year-old Tani,/a Nigerian refugee living in a Manhattan homeless shelter,/proudly carried a large trophy to his room. Despite his uncertain future,/he was filled with joy.
Tani had recently won first place in his division/at the New York State chess championship. What was extraordinary about him/was that he had learned chess/just over a year ago. His dream was to become the youngest grand master.
Tani and his family left Nigeria in 2017/as refugees. The following year,/they found a place in a homeless shelter in New York City/with the help of a pastor. Tani entered a local elementary school,/which had a chess teacher. He loved the game so much/that he asked his mother to find out/how he could join the chess club.
His mother sent an email to the club,/expressing her son’s wish to join. She added/that she could not pay the fees for the club/because the family was living in a shelter. The person in charge of the club/decided not to charge any fees. Soon after joining the club,/Tani took part in his first tournament/and had the lowest rating of all the participants. But his playing soon got better.
In the state tournament,/which was held a year later,/the coaches were shocked/when Tani gave away a valuable piece. They checked the move with a computer. The computer showed/that the move would improve his position/several moves later.
“Tani’s story is a good example/of how life’s challenges do not define a person,”/said the principal of Tani’s school. Tani didn’t have a home,/but he had caring parents/who took him to every chess practice/and he did his best.
Tani still faced difficult moments at times. He once came home in tears/because his classmates had made fun of him/for being homeless. Despite difficulties,/however,/he practiced chess every evening,/preparing for the elementary national championship.
“He is so motivated,”/said his school chess teacher. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles/than other kids. He just wants to be better.”
The story of the 8-year-old refugee/continued on. After I shared Tani’s story in my newspaper column,/a fund drive I had started/raised more than $200,000 for Tani and his family. Several readers offered housing. Out of the various housing offers,/the family chose a modest apartment. A kind person offered to cover the rent/for a whole year.
And the story got even better. Tani and his family made a selfless decision/regarding the $200,000. They would keep 10 percent for themselves/and donate 90 percent to their church,/which had helped them/when they were homeless. The rest of the funds would be used/to help African immigrants/struggling in the United States,/just as Tani and his family had been/not so long ago.
I asked Tani’s parents/how they could turn down/such a huge amount of money.
“We are hardworking people,”/Tani’s father explained. He worked as a driver,/as well as a real estate agent,/and Tani’s mother had passed a course/to become a home caregiver.
I asked Tani what he thought. He shrugged,/saying,/“I want to help other kids.”
I pressed him,/asking,/“Is there anything in particular/you might like to have?” After a long silence,/he said,/“Maybe a computer.”
Tani was offered a full scholarship/from top private schools. But he and his parents chose to stay loyal/to the public elementary school,/which taught him chess/without asking for fees for the chess club.
I wondered:/Is this kid really that good? It turns out he is. Now a fifth grader,/Tani participated in a tournament in Connecticut,/which was open to advanced players of all ages. Astonishingly,/he came out as the winner of every game. He was granted the title of national master.
At age 10,/Tani became the 28th-youngest chess master/in the United States. Garry Kasparov,/a former world chess champion,/said,/“I’m delighted to see Tani’s rapid progress.”
We can be inspired/by the wisdom of America’s newest chess master. I asked Tani/how he feels when he loses.
“When I lose,/I have made a mistake,/and that can help me learn,”/he told me. “I never lose. I learn.”