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How has the double-member district electoral system imposed by the Pinochet regime affected parliamentary candidate selection in Chile? Rather than parties and coalitions choosing candidates to maximize district vote, this article argues that a more complex constellation of variables influences candidate selection and placement on coalition lists. The attempt to realize discrete objectives related to sub-pact alliances, national coalitions, and presidential candidacies, often leads to the selection of candidates who may not maximize the total individual or list vote. Indeed, individual parties may actually sacrifice candidacies (and potentially seats) to meet these goals. The article establishes generally applicable rules that govern how coalitions select candidates and provides a schematic diagram for understanding these rules. It concludes suggesting the importance of analyzing the effect of electoral systems, and particularly strategically complex systems, on candidate selection processes across Latin America.