Jack B. Winters opened the Chess House in 1972, just in time for the world championship Fisher-Spassky match. Jack owned and operated the Chess House at 39th & Main and 74th & Broadway for seven years. He was once the highest rated player (USCF) in Missouri, and on one occasion played world chess champion, Bobby Fisher, to a draw. He sold the business to Don Oswald in 1979.
Donald Lynn Oswald was born January 12, 1934, in Ottawa, Kansas, graduated from Princeton High School in 1952, and served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1957.

In January of 1979, Don Oswald bought The Chess House from Jack Winters. Don increased the company's subscriber list from 1000 to 8000 in his 15 years of operation while keeping in personal contact with many of his customers who became good friends. In Don's hands, The Chess House began to be recognized as a growing mailorder chess company. He operated Chess House in Kansas until his death in 1994. Don also graduated from the Manhattan Bible College in Kansas, pastored several Christian churches in Eastern Kansas for several years, and held multiple teaching positions. Don was widely recognized for his directing of numerous chess tournaments in the area for years, and was responsible for teaching and instructing chess to countless numbers of people through the years. He was a member of the US Chess Federation and served as a Senior Affiliate Tournament Director for many years.