Homeless 8-Year-Old Boy Wins New York Chess State Championship

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NEW YORK (CBS) -- An eight-year-old boy in New York is taking the chess world by storm in the middle of hardship. Tani Adewumi and his family live in a homeless shelter.

They fled northern Nigeria in 2017 fearing attacks by the terror group Boko Haram.

Adewumi learned how to play chess about a year ago, and just last week, the third-grader took down 73 of the best chess players in his age group in New York to win his division in the state championship.

He set a record in the process. Adewumi hopes to be a world champion.

"I want to be the youngest grand master in the world and beat the world champion's record," Adewumi said. "Anything is possible."

The family is seeking asylum in the United States. An attorney has agreed to represent their case pro bono.