diff --git a/server/ai/app.ts b/server/ai/app.ts
index 0f5587f..5c70acd 100644
--- a/server/ai/app.ts
+++ b/server/ai/app.ts
@@ -170,34 +170,60 @@ const tryProgress = (_received?: any): any => {
   if (!game.private || !game.private.development) {
     return undefined;
   }
-
   let vps = 0;
+  let firstPlayableProgress: any = undefined;
+  // Count VP cards and remember the first non-VP progress card we can play
   for (let i = 0; i < game.private.development.length; i++) {
     const card = game.private.development[i];
-    if (card.turn >= game.turns || card.played || card.type === 'vp') {
+    // card.turn >= game.turns => newly drawn this turn and can't be played
+    if (card.turn >= game.turns || card.played) {
       if (card.type === 'vp') vps++;
       continue;
     }
+    if (card.type === 'vp') {
+      vps++;
+      continue;
+    }
+    // remember the first playable non-VP card
+    if (!firstPlayableProgress) firstPlayableProgress = card;
+  }
 
-    console.log(`${name} - Playing -`, card);
-    send({
-      type: 'play-card',
-      card
-    });
+  // If we have a non-VP progress card to play, play it (existing behavior)
+  if (firstPlayableProgress) {
+    console.log(`${name} - Playing -`, firstPlayableProgress);
+    send({ type: 'play-card', card: firstPlayableProgress });
+    return { turn: { actions: anyValue } };
+  }
 
-    return {
-      turn: {
-        actions: anyValue
+  // If we have VP cards, consider playing them to win. Determine victory threshold.
+  if (vps > 0) {
+    const currentPoints = (game.players && game.players[game.color] && game.players[game.color].points) || 0;
+    let victoryThreshold = 10;
+    try {
+      if (game.rules && game.rules['victory-points'] && ('points' in game.rules['victory-points'])) {
+        victoryThreshold = Number(game.rules['victory-points'].points) || victoryThreshold;
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      // ignore and use default
+    }
+
+    // If playing our VP cards would reach or exceed the threshold, play one now
+    if (currentPoints + vps >= victoryThreshold) {
+      // find first unplayed VP card object
+      for (let i = 0; i < game.private.development.length; i++) {
+        const card = game.private.development[i];
+        if (card.type === 'vp' && !(card.played) && !(card.turn >= game.turns)) {
+          console.log(`${name} - Playing VP to attempt win -`, card);
+          send({ type: 'play-card', card });
+          return { turn: { actions: anyValue } };
+        }
       }
     }
+
+    // Otherwise just announce how many VP cards we have
+    send({ type: 'chat', message: `I have ${vps} VP cards!` });
   }
 
-  if (vps) {
-    send({
-      type: 'chat',
-      message: `I have ${vps} VP cards!`
-    });
-  }
   return undefined;
 };
 
@@ -365,7 +391,7 @@ const processLobby = (received: any): any => {
 
   /* AI selected a Player. Wait for game-order.
    * Only treat the bot as already selected if its color is not the 'unassigned' sentinel.
-   * Some servers may return an empty 'unselected' array even while the player's color
+   * Server may return an empty 'unselected' array even while the player's color
    * remains 'unassigned', so guard that case explicitly. */
   if (received.unselected.indexOf(name) === -1 && game.color !== 'unassigned') {
     send({
@@ -566,25 +592,6 @@ 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;
   }
@@ -822,8 +829,7 @@ 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.
+  // only when a discard might be required.
   if (game.turn && game.turn.robberInAction) {
     if (!game.players) {
       console.log(`${name} - robber in action and players missing; requesting players`);
@@ -836,13 +842,8 @@ const processNormal = async (received?: any): Promise<any> => {
     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`);
-      }
+      // No discard required (totalResources <= 7); proceed with turn actions.
+      console.log(`${name} - robber in action but no discard required (totalResources=${totalResources}); proceeding`);
     }
   }