diff --git a/Lib/random.py b/Lib/random.py
--- a/Lib/random.py
+++ b/Lib/random.py
@@ -274,6 +274,21 @@
         """Choose a random element from a non-empty sequence."""
         return seq[int(self.random() * len(seq))]  # raises IndexError if seq is empty
 
+    def choice_try(self, seq):
+        """Choose a random element from a non-empty sequence."""
+        try:
+            return seq[int(self.random() * len(seq))]  # raises IndexError if seq is empty
+        except IndexError:
+            return seq[-1]
+
+    def choice_eq(self, seq):
+        """Choose a random element from a non-empty sequence."""
+        n = len(seq)
+        i = int(self.random() * n)
+        if i == n:
+            i = n - 1
+        return seq[i]  # raises IndexError if seq is empty
+
     def shuffle(self, x, random=None):
         """x, random=random.random -> shuffle list x in place; return None.
 
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 3.79 msec per loop
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_try' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 3.86 msec per loop
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_eq' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 4.09 msec per loop
~/py27 $ 
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 3.75 msec per loop
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_try' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 3.95 msec per loop
~/py27 $ py27 -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_eq' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
100 loops, best of 3: 4.08 msec per loop
~/py27 $ 
~/py27 $ cp Lib/random.py random.py
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 140 usec per loop
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_try' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 139 usec per loop
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_eq' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 137 usec per loop
~/py27 $ 
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 141 usec per loop
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_try' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 139 usec per loop
~/py27 $ pypy -m timeit -s 'import random' -s 'choice=random.Random(8675309).choice_eq' -s 'seq = [10, 20, 30]' 'for i in xrange(10000): choice(seq)'
10000 loops, best of 3: 136 usec per loop