diff --git a/panel/src/games/chess/ChessGame.tsx b/panel/src/games/chess/ChessGame.tsx
index bd9c43e..bcfa347 100644
--- a/panel/src/games/chess/ChessGame.tsx
+++ b/panel/src/games/chess/ChessGame.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@ const chessPieces: PieceRenderObject = Object.fromEntries(
             <img
                 src={`/pieces/${key}.svg`}
                 alt={key}
-                style={{ width: "100%", height: "100%", ...props?.svgStyle }}
+                style={{
+                    width: "100%",
+                    height: "100%",
+                    pointerEvents: "none",  // let events pass through to dnd-kit / Square handlers
+                    userSelect: "none",
+                    ...props?.svgStyle,
+                }}
                 draggable={false}
             />
         ),
@@ -149,7 +155,9 @@ export function ChessGame({ state, myPlayerId, isSpectator, onAction, players }:
     const view = state as PlayerView | SpectatorView;
     const playerView = isPlayerView(state) ? state as PlayerView : null;
     const myColor = playerView?.myColor ?? "white";
-    const boardOrientation = isSpectator ? "white" : myColor;
+    // Solo mode: both players are the same user — myColor flips each turn, so lock orientation to white
+    const isSoloMode = !isSpectator && players.length === 2 && players[0]?.discordId === players[1]?.discordId;
+    const boardOrientation = isSpectator || isSoloMode ? "white" : myColor;
     const isMyTurn = playerView ? view.turn === playerView.myColor : false;
     const isGameOver = view.result !== null;
     const moveHistoryRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
diff --git a/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.test.ts b/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.test.ts
index dc4a610..be5ff26 100644
--- a/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.test.ts
+++ b/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.test.ts
@@ -570,6 +570,38 @@ describe("chessPlugin", () => {
         });
     });
 
+    describe("solo mode (duplicate player IDs)", () => {
+        it("should allow the same player to move as both colors", () => {
+            const spy = spyOn(Math, "random").mockReturnValue(0.1);
+            const state = chessPlugin.createInitialState(["alice", "alice"], { timeControl: "none" });
+            spy.mockRestore();
+            // Both white and black are "alice"
+            expect(state.players.white).toBe("alice");
+            expect(state.players.black).toBe("alice");
+
+            // White's turn — alice should be able to move
+            const s1 = act(state, { type: "move", from: "e2", to: "e4" }, "alice");
+            // Black's turn — alice should also be able to move
+            const s2 = act(s1, { type: "move", from: "e7", to: "e5" }, "alice");
+            expect(s2.moveHistory).toHaveLength(2);
+        });
+
+        it("should return the current turn color in player view", () => {
+            const spy = spyOn(Math, "random").mockReturnValue(0.1);
+            const state = chessPlugin.createInitialState(["alice", "alice"], { timeControl: "none" });
+            spy.mockRestore();
+
+            const view1 = chessPlugin.getPlayerView(state, "alice") as ChessPlayerView;
+            expect(view1.myColor).toBe("white"); // White's turn
+            expect(view1.legalMoves.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+            const s1 = act(state, { type: "move", from: "e2", to: "e4" }, "alice");
+            const view2 = chessPlugin.getPlayerView(s1, "alice") as ChessPlayerView;
+            expect(view2.myColor).toBe("black"); // Black's turn now
+            expect(view2.legalMoves.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+        });
+    });
+
     describe("plugin metadata", () => {
         it("should have correct slug and name", () => {
             expect(chessPlugin.slug).toBe("chess");
diff --git a/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.ts b/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.ts
index 513e175..7c10f6a 100644
--- a/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.ts
+++ b/shared/games/chess/chess.plugin.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,14 @@ import type {
 import { TIME_CONTROLS } from "./chess.types";
 
 function colorOfPlayer(state: ChessState, playerId: string): "white" | "black" | null {
-    if (state.players.white === playerId) return "white";
-    if (state.players.black === playerId) return "black";
+    const isWhite = state.players.white === playerId;
+    const isBlack = state.players.black === playerId;
+    if (isWhite && isBlack) {
+        // Solo test mode — same player controls both sides, return current turn
+        return currentTurn(state.fen);
+    }
+    if (isWhite) return "white";
+    if (isBlack) return "black";
     return null;
 }