diff --git a/packages/server/src/bot/casual-brain.ts b/packages/server/src/bot/casual-brain.ts
index d70dad4..5642183 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/bot/casual-brain.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/bot/casual-brain.ts
@@ -65,8 +65,15 @@ export class CasualBrain implements Brain {
       // can't validate against the candidate list.
     }
 
-    // Blind mode (or vanilla fallback): score-based heuristic.
-    const choice = this.heuristicPick(filtered, input.view, input.ply);
+    // Blind mode (or vanilla fallback): score-based heuristic. When the
+    // moderator says we're in check, bias toward king moves — the only
+    // class of moves that resolves nearly every check (king moves out of
+    // attack), and the only class the bot can identify without seeing the
+    // attacker. Without this bias the heuristic scores capture/advance
+    // signals uncorrelated with check resolution, the FSM rejects every
+    // non-resolving attempt, and the driver's retry cap fires.
+    const inCheck = this.detectOwnCheck(input.newAnnouncements);
+    const choice = this.heuristicPick(filtered, input.view, input.ply, inCheck);
     return {
       type: 'commit',
       from: choice.from,
@@ -75,6 +82,11 @@ export class CasualBrain implements Brain {
     };
   }
 
+  private detectOwnCheck(announcements: BrainInput['newAnnouncements']): boolean {
+    const tag = this.color === 'w' ? 'white_in_check' : 'black_in_check';
+    return announcements.some((a) => a.text === tag);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Run js-chess-engine on the given FEN and return a candidate matching
    * its choice, or null if no match was found.
@@ -113,19 +125,35 @@ export class CasualBrain implements Brain {
     candidates: CandidateMove[],
     view: BoardView,
     ply: number,
+    inCheck: boolean,
   ): CandidateMove {
+    const kingSquare = inCheck ? this.findOwnKing(view) : null;
     const scored = candidates.map((c) => {
       let score = this.scoreMove(c, view, ply);
       if (c.promotion === 'q') score += 1000;
       else if (c.promotion === 'r') score += 500;
       else if (c.promotion === 'b') score += 100;
       else if (c.promotion === 'n') score += 50;
+      // King moves dominate when in check. The boost is large enough to
+      // beat any combination of other heuristic factors so the driver
+      // exhausts king escapes first; if all king moves are rejected the
+      // attemptHistory exclusion strips them and the bot falls through
+      // to non-king options (block / capture-attacker guesses).
+      if (kingSquare && c.from === kingSquare) score += 5000;
       return { move: c, score: score + this.rng() * 0.01 };
     });
     scored.sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score);
     return scored[0]!.move;
   }
 
+  private findOwnKing(view: BoardView): Square | null {
+    for (const sq of Object.keys(view.pieces) as Square[]) {
+      const p = view.pieces[sq];
+      if (p && p.color === this.color && p.type === 'k') return sq;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
   private excludeRejected(
     candidates: CandidateMove[],
     history: BrainInput['attemptHistory'],
diff --git a/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts b/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
index 3dd8d1e..178650e 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/bot/driver.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,23 @@ import { buildView } from '../view.js';
 import { announce } from '../translator.js';
 import { finalizeIfEnded } from '../game-end.js';
 
-const RETRY_CAP = 5;
+// Per-decision-cycle retry budget. In vanilla mode chess.js verbose moves are
+// guaranteed legal so the cap is never exercised. In blind mode the brain
+// supplies pseudo-legal candidates and chess.js may reject many (pinned pieces,
+// unresolved check); we need budget to find a legal move before giving up.
+const RETRY_CAP = 25;
+
+type BotResignReason =
+  | 'retry_cap_exhausted'
+  | 'brain_threw'
+  | 'brain_chose_resign'
+  | 'commit_silent'
+  | 'commit_error';
+
+function errString(err: unknown): string {
+  if (err instanceof Error) return err.message;
+  return String(err);
+}
 
 interface BotDriverOpts {
   game: Game;
@@ -76,14 +92,23 @@ export class BotDriver {
     const attemptHistory: AttemptHistoryEntry[] = [];
 
     for (let attempt = 0; attempt < RETRY_CAP; attempt++) {
+      // The bot makes atomic (from,to) commits — there is no touched-piece UX.
+      // A prior attempt that survived past `tryMove` (e.g. illegal_move,
+      // promotion_required) leaves `game.armed` set; a retry that picks a
+      // different `from` would otherwise be rejected as
+      // `must_move_touched_piece` and resign the bot. Clear here so each
+      // attempt starts from a clean FSM state.
+      if (this.game.armed?.color === this.color) {
+        this.game.armed = null;
+      }
       const input = this.buildBrainInput(attemptHistory);
       let outcome: { kind: 'done' } | { kind: 'retry'; entry: AttemptHistoryEntry };
       try {
         const action = await this.brain.decide(input);
         outcome = this.dispatch(action);
-      } catch {
+      } catch (err) {
         // Brain exception OR programming error in dispatch. Safe failure: resign.
-        this.botResign();
+        this.botResign('brain_threw', { err: errString(err) });
         return;
       }
       if (outcome.kind === 'done') {
@@ -93,7 +118,9 @@ export class BotDriver {
       attemptHistory.push(outcome.entry);
     }
     this.lastSeenAnnouncementCount = this.game.announcements.length;
-    this.botResign();
+    this.botResign('retry_cap_exhausted', {
+      attempts: attemptHistory.map((a) => `${a.move.from}-${a.move.to}:${a.rejection}`),
+    });
   }
 
   private buildBrainInput(attemptHistory: AttemptHistoryEntry[]): BrainInput {
@@ -150,15 +177,18 @@ export class BotDriver {
         if (result.kind === 'silent') {
           // Brain sent only `from` (arming). CasualBrain always commits with
           // `to`; treat as a logic error and resign safely.
-          this.botResign();
+          this.botResign('commit_silent', { from: action.from, to: action.to });
           return { kind: 'done' };
         }
         // result.kind === 'error' — bug path; resign.
-        this.botResign();
+        this.botResign('commit_error', {
+          code: result.kind === 'error' ? result.code : undefined,
+          announcement: result.kind === 'announce' ? result.announcements[0]?.text : undefined,
+        });
         return { kind: 'done' };
       }
       case 'resign':
-        this.botResign();
+        this.botResign('brain_chose_resign');
         return { kind: 'done' };
       case 'offer-draw':
         if (!this.game.drawOffer) {
@@ -185,7 +215,7 @@ export class BotDriver {
     }
   }
 
-  private botResign(): void {
+  private botResign(reason: BotResignReason, detail?: Record<string, unknown>): void {
     if (this.game.status !== 'active') return;
     const ply = this.game.chess.history().length;
     const text = this.color === 'w' ? 'white_resigned' : 'black_resigned';
@@ -195,6 +225,15 @@ export class BotDriver {
     this.game.endReason = 'resign';
     this.game.winner = this.color === 'w' ? 'b' : 'w';
     this.game.finishedAt = Date.now();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+    console.error('[bot resign]', {
+      gameId: this.game.id,
+      color: this.color,
+      mode: this.game.mode,
+      ply,
+      reason,
+      ...detail,
+    });
   }
 
   private async disposeBrain(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/packages/server/test/unit/bot/casual-brain.test.ts b/packages/server/test/unit/bot/casual-brain.test.ts
index 3e04aa4..ab196b8 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/unit/bot/casual-brain.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/test/unit/bot/casual-brain.test.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,99 @@ describe('CasualBrain', () => {
     expect(aAct).toEqual(bAct);
   });
 
+  it('blind mode + own_color_in_check announcement -> prefers king moves over other candidates', async () => {
+    // The bot only sees its own pieces in blind mode and cannot deduce the
+    // attacker. Per the AI spec ("Casual never resigns voluntarily"), the
+    // brain must use the public moderator announcement to bias toward
+    // check-resolving moves — most commonly, moving the king. Without this
+    // bias, the heuristic scores capture/advance signals that are uncorrelated
+    // with check resolution, the FSM rejects every non-resolving move, and
+    // the driver's retry cap fires => premature resignation.
+    const view: BoardView = {
+      pieces: {
+        e1: { color: 'w', type: 'k' },
+        a2: { color: 'w', type: 'p' },
+        h2: { color: 'w', type: 'p' },
+        b1: { color: 'w', type: 'n' },
+      },
+      toMove: 'w',
+      inCheck: true,
+    };
+    const candidates: CandidateMove[] = [
+      // king moves (8 possible escape squares; only some are off the board /
+      // off own-occupied — geometricMoves would have excluded those, but for
+      // the test we just enumerate a few plausible ones).
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'd1' },
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'f1' },
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'd2' },
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'e2' },
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'f2' },
+      // non-king alternatives that the heuristic would otherwise prefer
+      { from: 'a2', to: 'a4' },
+      { from: 'h2', to: 'h4' },
+      { from: 'b1', to: 'c3' },
+      { from: 'b1', to: 'a3' },
+    ];
+    let kingHits = 0;
+    for (let s = 0; s < 20; s++) {
+      const brain = new CasualBrain({ seed: s });
+      await brain.init({ color: 'w', mode: 'blind', gameId: 'g1' });
+      const action = await brain.decide({
+        view,
+        newAnnouncements: [
+          { text: 'white_in_check', audience: 'both', ply: 10, at: Date.now() },
+        ],
+        legalCandidates: candidates,
+        attemptHistory: [],
+        drawOfferFromOpponent: false,
+        ply: 10,
+      });
+      if (action.type === 'commit' && action.from === 'e1') kingHits++;
+    }
+    // Every seed should pick a king move when the boost is large enough to
+    // dominate the heuristic + tiebreak.
+    expect(kingHits).toBe(20);
+  });
+
+  it('blind mode + own_color_in_check + king moves all rejected -> falls through to non-king', async () => {
+    // Defensive: if every king move has been tried (knight check forcing
+    // king moves into other attacks, double check, etc.), the bot should
+    // still pick *something* from remaining candidates rather than throw.
+    const view: BoardView = {
+      pieces: {
+        e1: { color: 'w', type: 'k' },
+        b1: { color: 'w', type: 'n' },
+      },
+      toMove: 'w',
+      inCheck: true,
+    };
+    const candidates: CandidateMove[] = [
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'd1' },
+      { from: 'e1', to: 'e2' },
+      { from: 'b1', to: 'c3' },
+    ];
+    const brain = new CasualBrain({ seed: 1 });
+    await brain.init({ color: 'w', mode: 'blind', gameId: 'g1' });
+    const action = await brain.decide({
+      view,
+      newAnnouncements: [
+        { text: 'white_in_check', audience: 'both', ply: 10, at: Date.now() },
+      ],
+      legalCandidates: candidates,
+      attemptHistory: [
+        { move: { from: 'e1', to: 'd1' }, rejection: 'illegal_move' },
+        { move: { from: 'e1', to: 'e2' }, rejection: 'illegal_move' },
+      ],
+      drawOfferFromOpponent: false,
+      ply: 10,
+    });
+    expect(action.type).toBe('commit');
+    if (action.type === 'commit') {
+      expect(action.from).toBe('b1');
+      expect(action.to).toBe('c3');
+    }
+  });
+
   it('opening moves favor center pawns over flank pawns (e/d > a/h)', async () => {
     const candidates: CandidateMove[] = [
       { from: 'a2', to: 'a3' },
diff --git a/packages/server/test/unit/bot/driver.test.ts b/packages/server/test/unit/bot/driver.test.ts
index 2742728..041c7b8 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/unit/bot/driver.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/test/unit/bot/driver.test.ts
@@ -115,20 +115,44 @@ describe('BotDriver', () => {
     expect(game.chess.turn()).toBe('w');
   });
 
-  it('retry cap (5): after 5 wont_help, driver resigns the bot', async () => {
+  it('retry on illegal_move: switching from after rejection still succeeds', async () => {
+    // Black bishop b8 has legal moves (c7, d6, e5xpawn, a7) but b8→f4 is
+    // illegal because the white pawn on e5 blocks the diagonal. Black king on a1.
+    // The FSM ARMS the b8 piece during its first attempt then rejects with
+    // illegal_move; on the retry the brain switches to a king move, which used
+    // to trip "must_move_touched_piece" and resign the bot.
+    const fen = '1b6/8/8/4P3/8/8/8/k6K b - - 0 1';
+    game = makeGame({ mode: 'blind', fen });
+    brain = new StubBrain();
+    driver = new BotDriver({ game, brain, color: 'b' });
+    await driver.init();
+    brain.enqueue(
+      { type: 'commit', from: 'b8', to: 'f4' }, // illegal: blocked by white pawn
+      { type: 'commit', from: 'a1', to: 'b1' }, // legal king move
+    );
+    await driver.onStateChange();
+    expect(brain.decide).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(game.status).toBe('active');
+    expect(game.chess.turn()).toBe('w');
+    expect(game.armed).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('retry cap (25): after RETRY_CAP rejected attempts, driver resigns the bot', async () => {
     const fen = '4k2K/4b3/8/8/8/8/8/4R3 b - - 0 1';
     game = makeGame({ fen });
     brain = new StubBrain();
     driver = new BotDriver({ game, brain, color: 'b' });
     await driver.init();
-    for (let i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+    // Enqueue more than RETRY_CAP repeated illegal moves; driver should
+    // exhaust the retry budget and resign.
+    for (let i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
       brain.enqueue({ type: 'commit', from: 'e7', to: 'd6' });
     }
     await driver.onStateChange();
     expect(game.status).toBe('finished');
     expect(game.endReason).toBe('resign');
     expect(game.winner).toBe('w');
-    expect(brain.decide).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(5);
+    expect(brain.decide).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(25);
   });
 
   it('respond-draw: when drawOffer is from opponent, driver fires decide and dispatches', async () => {