diff --git a/server/ai/app.ts b/server/ai/app.ts
index a208b25..0f5587f 100644
--- a/server/ai/app.ts
+++ b/server/ai/app.ts
@@ -566,26 +566,72 @@ const processDiscard = async (_received?: any): Promise<any> => {
 
   let mustDiscard = game.players[game.color].mustDiscard;
 
+  // Some servers may not explicitly set `mustDiscard` in the players object;
+  // derive it from the player's resource count when possible. According to
+  // rules: if a player has >7 resources they must discard floor(resources/2).
+  if (!mustDiscard) {
+    const playerResources = Number(game.players[game.color].resources || 0);
+    const privateTotal = types.reduce((s, t) => s + (Number(game.private && game.private[t]) || 0), 0);
+    const totalResources = playerResources || privateTotal;
+    if (totalResources > 7) {
+      mustDiscard = Math.floor(totalResources / 2);
+      console.log(`${name} - computed mustDiscard=${mustDiscard} from totalResources=${totalResources} (playerResources=${playerResources}, privateTotal=${privateTotal})`);
+      // Store it so subsequent logic can observe it if desired
+      try {
+        game.players[game.color].mustDiscard = mustDiscard;
+      } catch (e) {
+        // ignore if assignment fails on read-only snapshot
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   if (!mustDiscard) {
     return;
   }
 
-  const cards: string[] = [];
+  // Intelligent discard heuristic:
+  // - Compute counts for each resource type from our private hand.
+  // - Repeatedly discard from the type we have the most of (most-abundant first).
+  // - Tie-breaker: prefer to discard sheep first, then brick/wood, then wheat/stone
+  //   (sheep is typically least critical; wheat/stone useful for cities/devs).
   const discards: Record<string, number> = {};
-  types.forEach(type => {
-    for (let i = 0; i < game.private[type]; i++) {
-      cards.push(type);
-    }
-  });
-  if (cards.length === 0) {
+  const counts: Record<string, number> = {};
+  types.forEach(type => { counts[type] = Math.max(0, Number(game.private[type]) || 0); });
+
+  let totalCards = types.reduce((s, t) => s + (counts[t] || 0), 0);
+  if (totalCards === 0) {
     // nothing to discard (defensive)
     return;
   }
-  while (mustDiscard--) {
-    const type = cards[Math.floor(Math.random() * cards.length)] as string;
-    if (!(type in discards)) {
-      discards[type] = (discards[type] || 0) + 1;
+
+  const tieOrder = [ 'sheep', 'brick', 'wood', 'wheat', 'stone' ];
+  while (mustDiscard-- > 0 && totalCards > 0) {
+    // pick the resource with the highest count; tie-break using tieOrder
+    let bestType: string | null = null;
+    let bestCount = -1;
+    for (const t of types) {
+      const c = counts[t] || 0;
+      if (c > bestCount) {
+        bestCount = c;
+        bestType = t;
+      } else if (c === bestCount && c > 0 && bestType) {
+        // tie-breaker by tieOrder index (lower index == prefer to discard)
+        const curTie = tieOrder.indexOf(t);
+        const bestTie = tieOrder.indexOf(bestType);
+        if (curTie !== -1 && bestTie !== -1 && curTie < bestTie) {
+          bestType = t;
+        }
       }
+    }
+
+    if (!bestType || (counts[bestType] || 0) <= 0) {
+      // no selectable resource left
+      break;
+    }
+
+    discards[bestType] = (discards[bestType] || 0) + 1;
+    counts[bestType] = (counts[bestType] || 0) - 1;
+    totalCards--;
   }
   console.log(`discarding - `, discards);
   send({
@@ -775,6 +821,31 @@ const processNormal = async (received?: any): Promise<any> => {
     };
   }
 
+  // If the robber is active on our turn, ensure we have player information
+  // only when a discard might be required. Some servers omit `mustDiscard`;
+  // in that case request `players` only if the known resource total > 7.
+  if (game.turn && game.turn.robberInAction) {
+    if (!game.players) {
+      console.log(`${name} - robber in action and players missing; requesting players`);
+      return { players: anyValue };
+    }
+
+    const playerObj = game.players[game.color];
+    const playerResources = (playerObj && typeof playerObj.resources !== 'undefined') ? Number(playerObj.resources) : undefined;
+    const privateTotal = types.reduce((s, t) => s + (Number(game.private && game.private[t]) || 0), 0);
+    const totalResources = (typeof playerResources !== 'undefined') ? playerResources : privateTotal;
+
+    if (typeof game.players[game.color].mustDiscard === 'undefined') {
+      if (totalResources > 7) {
+        console.log(`${name} - robber in action but mustDiscard unknown and totalResources=${totalResources} > 7; requesting players`);
+        return { players: anyValue };
+      } else {
+        // No discard required (totalResources <= 7); proceed with turn actions.
+        console.log(`${name} - robber in action but no discard required (totalResources=${totalResources}); proceeding`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   console.log(`${name}'s turn. Processing...`);
 
   if (!game.dice) {
@@ -895,10 +966,19 @@ const message = async (data: WebSocket.Data): Promise<void> => {
   switch (msg.type) {
   case 'warning':
     if (game.turn && game.turn.color === game.color && game.state !== 'lobby') {
-      console.log(`WARNING: ${msg.warning}. Passing.`);
-      send({ type: 'pass' });
-      waitingFor = { turn: { color: game.color } };
-      processWaitingFor(waitingFor);
+      console.log(`WARNING: ${msg.warning}.`);
+      // If robber is in action or we may need to discard, do not blindly pass.
+      if (game.turn.robberInAction) {
+        console.log(`${name} - WARNING received while robber in action; ensuring players data`);
+        // Request players so we learn mustDiscard fields and can act accordingly.
+        waitingFor = { players: anyValue };
+        processWaitingFor(waitingFor);
+      } else {
+        console.log(`${name} - not in robber action; passing.`);
+        send({ type: 'pass' });
+        waitingFor = { turn: { color: game.color } };
+        processWaitingFor(waitingFor);
+      }
     }
     break;