diff --git a/client/src/components/hand/__tests__/PlayerHand.mobileGesture.test.tsx b/client/src/components/hand/__tests__/PlayerHand.mobileGesture.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cb1b8fbee9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/hand/__tests__/PlayerHand.mobileGesture.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { GameAction } from "../../../adapter/types.ts";
+import { useGameStore } from "../../../stores/gameStore.ts";
+import { useMultiplayerStore } from "../../../stores/multiplayerStore.ts";
+import { usePreferencesStore } from "../../../stores/preferencesStore.ts";
+import { useUiStore } from "../../../stores/uiStore.ts";
+import { gameObjectFactory } from "../../../test/factories/gameObjectFactory.ts";
+import { gameStateFactory } from "../../../test/factories/gameStateFactory.ts";
+import { setGameStoreForTest } from "../../../test/helpers/gameStoreHelpers.ts";
+import { PlayerHand } from "../PlayerHand.tsx";
+
+const { mockDispatchAction } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  mockDispatchAction: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../../game/dispatch.ts", () => ({
+  dispatchAction: mockDispatchAction,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../../hooks/useCardImage.ts", () => ({
+  useCardImage: () => ({
+    src: "card.png",
+    isLoading: false,
+    isRotated: false,
+    isFlip: false,
+  }),
+}));
+
+function rect(left: number, right: number): DOMRect {
+  return {
+    bottom: 180,
+    height: 140,
+    left,
+    right,
+    top: 40,
+    width: right - left,
+    x: left,
+    y: 40,
+    toJSON: () => ({}),
+  } as DOMRect;
+}
+
+function renderMobileHand(actions: GameAction[]) {
+  const card = gameObjectFactory
+    .land()
+    .inHand()
+    .withId(311)
+    .named("Mobile Test Land")
+    .build();
+  const gameState = gameStateFactory
+    .withPlayers({ id: 0, hand: [card.id] }, 1)
+    .withObjects(card)
+    .priority(0)
+    .build();
+
+  setGameStoreForTest({
+    gameState,
+    waitingFor: gameState.waiting_for,
+    legalActions: actions,
+    legalActionsByObject: { [card.id]: actions },
+    gameMode: "local",
+    spellCosts: {},
+  });
+
+  const rendered = render(<PlayerHand />);
+  const hand = rendered.container.firstElementChild as HTMLElement | null;
+  const source = rendered.container.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+    `[data-hand-card][data-object-id="${card.id}"]`,
+  );
+  expect(hand).not.toBeNull();
+  expect(source).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!hand || !source) throw new Error("PlayerHand did not render its mobile hand surface");
+
+  hand.getBoundingClientRect = () => rect(0, 200);
+  source.getBoundingClientRect = () => rect(0, 100);
+  return { card, hand, source };
+}
+
+function holdLiftAndRelease(
+  hand: HTMLElement,
+  source: HTMLElement,
+  pointerId: number,
+) {
+  fireEvent.pointerDown(hand, {
+    button: 0,
+    clientX: 40,
+    clientY: 100,
+    isPrimary: true,
+    pointerId,
+    pointerType: "touch",
+  });
+  act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTime(400));
+  expect(source).toHaveAttribute("data-hand-touch-active", "true");
+
+  fireEvent.pointerMove(hand, {
+    clientX: 52,
+    clientY: 10,
+    isPrimary: true,
+    pointerId,
+    pointerType: "touch",
+  });
+  fireEvent.pointerUp(hand, {
+    button: 0,
+    clientX: 52,
+    clientY: 10,
+    isPrimary: true,
+    pointerId,
+    pointerType: "touch",
+  });
+}
+
+const originalInnerWidth = window.innerWidth;
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  Object.defineProperty(window, "innerWidth", {
+    configurable: true,
+    value: 390,
+  });
+  useMultiplayerStore.setState({ activePlayerId: null, isSpectator: false });
+  usePreferencesStore.setState({ handSort: "none" });
+  useUiStore.setState({
+    handFilter: "none",
+    mobileHandGesture: null,
+    mobileHandOpen: false,
+    pendingAbilityChoice: null,
+  });
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  useGameStore.setState({
+    gameState: null,
+    waitingFor: null,
+    legalActions: [],
+    legalActionsByObject: {},
+    gameMode: null,
+    spellCosts: {},
+  });
+  useUiStore.setState({
+    handFilter: "none",
+    mobileHandGesture: null,
+    mobileHandOpen: false,
+    pendingAbilityChoice: null,
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(window, "innerWidth", {
+    configurable: true,
+    value: originalInnerWidth,
+  });
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+describe("PlayerHand mobile release-to-cast wiring", () => {
+  it("dispatches the one direct engine-provided play action", () => {
+    const playLandAction: GameAction = {
+      type: "PlayLand",
+      data: { object_id: 311, card_id: 311 },
+    };
+    const { hand, source } = renderMobileHand([playLandAction]);
+
+    holdLiftAndRelease(hand, source, 41);
+
+    expect(mockDispatchAction).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(mockDispatchAction).toHaveBeenCalledWith(playLandAction);
+    expect(useUiStore.getState().mobileHandOpen).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps an ambiguous action bucket on the tap-to-open hand-modal path", () => {
+    const playLandAction: GameAction = {
+      type: "PlayLand",
+      data: { object_id: 311, card_id: 311 },
+    };
+    const alternateAction: GameAction = {
+      type: "ActivateAbility",
+      data: { source_id: 311, ability_index: 0 },
+    };
+    const { hand } = renderMobileHand([
+      playLandAction,
+      alternateAction,
+    ]);
+
+    fireEvent.pointerDown(hand, {
+      button: 0,
+      clientX: 40,
+      clientY: 100,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      pointerId: 42,
+      pointerType: "touch",
+    });
+    act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTime(400));
+    fireEvent.pointerMove(hand, {
+      clientX: 52,
+      clientY: 10,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      pointerId: 42,
+      pointerType: "touch",
+    });
+
+    expect(useUiStore.getState().mobileHandGesture).toMatchObject({
+      objectId: 311,
+      phase: "drag",
+      playable: true,
+      castReady: false,
+    });
+
+    fireEvent.pointerUp(hand, {
+      button: 0,
+      clientX: 52,
+      clientY: 10,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      pointerId: 42,
+      pointerType: "touch",
+    });
+    expect(mockDispatchAction).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    fireEvent.pointerDown(hand, {
+      button: 0,
+      clientX: 40,
+      clientY: 100,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      pointerId: 43,
+      pointerType: "touch",
+    });
+    fireEvent.pointerUp(hand, {
+      button: 0,
+      clientX: 40,
+      clientY: 100,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      pointerId: 43,
+      pointerType: "touch",
+    });
+    fireEvent.click(hand);
+
+    expect(useUiStore.getState().mobileHandOpen).toBe(true);
+    expect(mockDispatchAction).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});