From May 1 through July 1, 1962, Curacao in the Netherland Antilles played host to the first Candidates tournament held outside of Europe. The event occurred at the Hotel Curacao International in Williamsted, Netherland Antilles.
The eight qualifying grandmasters were Tigran Petrosian (USSR), Yefim Geller (USSR), Paul Keres (USSR), Bobby Fischer (USA), Victor Kortchnoi (USSR), Pal Benko (USA), Mikhail Tal (USSR), and Miroslav Filip (Czech). The following first day cover contains their autographs.
The games of the Curaco Candidates, 1962
Petrosian qualified (crosstable) and went on to become world champion by defeating Mikhail Botvinnik. In honor of the match, the Netherland Antilles issued Scott B55-B57, three semi-postal issues whose extra value was likely used to help fund the tournament.
The stamps were issued for only six months until the end of December, 1962. J.F. Doeve was the designer. The stamps were printed by Joh. Enschede & Zonen (lithographed offset) in 100 stamps per sheet (10 x 10).
Many different cachets were used for the first day covers cancelled only on May 2, 1962. Cancellations were in use on the following islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten... and with the following cities: Williamsted, Oranjestad, St. Nicholas, Otrabanda, Plesmanluchthaven, Dokterstuin, Rust en Vrede, Kralendijk, Rincon, Philipsburg, The Bottom, and Windwardside. Here are several of the cachets used in on the covers:
