diff --git a/assets/images/cardbacks.png b/assets/images/cardbacks.png
index dd44aca..c58a323 100644
Binary files a/assets/images/cardbacks.png and b/assets/images/cardbacks.png differ
diff --git a/assets/images/cardbacks.psd b/assets/images/cardbacks.psd
index 39d986c..f9f8414 100644
Binary files a/assets/images/cardbacks.psd and b/assets/images/cardbacks.psd differ
diff --git a/data/card-backs.json b/data/card-backs.json
index 8927a61..a3b8bc1 100644
--- a/data/card-backs.json
+++ b/data/card-backs.json
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {
   "default": "back-0",
   "cardBacks": [
-    { "id": "back-0", "name": "Card Back 1", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 0, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-1", "name": "Card Back 2", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 1, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-2", "name": "Card Back 3", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 2, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-3", "name": "Card Back 4", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 3, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-4", "name": "Card Back 5", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 4, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-5", "name": "Card Back 6", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 5, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-6", "name": "Card Back 7", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 6, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
-    { "id": "back-7", "name": "Card Back 8", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 7, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" }
+    { "id": "back-0", "name": "Cthulhu", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 0, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-1", "name": "Cyberpunk", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 1, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-2", "name": "Nautical", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 2, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-3", "name": "Steampunk", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 3, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-4", "name": "Jungle", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 4, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-5", "name": "Hi Tech", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 5, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-6", "name": "Fall Mountain", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 6, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" },
+    { "id": "back-7", "name": "Neon Miami", "key": "cardbacks", "spriteIndex": 7, "fallbackColor": "#1a3a6b" }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/src/games/mahjong/MahjongGame.js b/src/games/mahjong/MahjongGame.js
index 30171c9..1056427 100644
--- a/src/games/mahjong/MahjongGame.js
+++ b/src/games/mahjong/MahjongGame.js
@@ -81,7 +81,17 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       const { tracks, volume } = getGameSoundtrack(this);
       if (tracks.length) new MusicPlayer(this, tracks, volume);
     } catch { /* optional */ }
-    this.add.rectangle(GAME_WIDTH / 2, GAME_HEIGHT / 2, GAME_WIDTH, GAME_HEIGHT, FELT).setDepth(DEPTH.bg);
+    // Backdrop: the playfield chosen on the opponent-select screen (image
+    // texture, or the generated canvas texture for the "colored" playfields),
+    // falling back to its flat color and finally to the classic deep green.
+    const pf = this.playfield;
+    if (pf?.key && this.textures.exists(pf.key)) {
+      this.add.image(GAME_WIDTH / 2, GAME_HEIGHT / 2, pf.key)
+        .setDisplaySize(GAME_WIDTH, GAME_HEIGHT).setDepth(DEPTH.bg);
+    } else {
+      const color = pf?.fallbackColor ? parseInt(pf.fallbackColor.replace('#', ''), 16) : FELT;
+      this.add.rectangle(GAME_WIDTH / 2, GAME_HEIGHT / 2, GAME_WIDTH, GAME_HEIGHT, color).setDepth(DEPTH.bg);
+    }
 
     const names = [auth.user?.username ?? 'You'];
     const skills = { 0: 5 };
@@ -130,11 +140,16 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
   }
 
   buildPortraits() {
+    // Each portrait sits just to the left of its own tiles, at the vertical
+    // centre of that area (rows/columns are all centred on their midpoints),
+    // so it reads as belonging to that player without ever covering a tile.
+    // Keep ~18-20px clearance: human hand left edge ≥ 391 (14 tiles), left
+    // column left edge 133, right column left edge 1836, top row ≥ 616.
     const spots = [
-      { x: 90,   y: 870, r: 46 },   // human — bottom left
-      { x: 1830, y: 170, r: 40 },   // seat 1 — right
-      { x: 560,  y: 95,  r: 40 },   // seat 2 — top
-      { x: 90,   y: 310, r: 40 },   // seat 3 — left
+      { x: 325,  y: 975, r: 46 },   // human — left of the bottom hand row
+      { x: 1778, y: 580, r: 40 },   // seat 1 — left of the right column
+      { x: 558,  y: 70,  r: 40 },   // seat 2 — left of the top row
+      { x: 75,   y: 580, r: 40 },   // seat 3 — left of the left column
     ];
     for (let seat = 0; seat < 4; seat++) {
       const { x, y, r } = spots[seat];
@@ -219,7 +234,10 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
     }).setOrigin(0.5));
     this.refPanel = panel;
 
-    this.refBtn = new Button(this, 1810, 44, 'Hands', () => this.toggleReference(), {
+    // Parked just left of the reference panel's open position (1490) so it
+    // never ends up under it; y=210 clears seat 2's melds (y≤98) and bonus
+    // tiles (y≤157), which sit at x 1330+.
+    this.refBtn = new Button(this, 1399, 210, 'Hands', () => this.toggleReference(), {
       width: 150, height: 52, fontSize: 22, variant: 'ghost',
     }).setDepth(DEPTH.ref + 1);
   }
@@ -233,6 +251,15 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       ease: 'Quad.Out',
     });
     this.refBtn.setLabel(this.refOpen ? 'Close' : 'Hands');
+    // Seat 1's portrait sits under the open panel. Its <video> is a DOM node
+    // that always renders above canvas content, so hide it while covered.
+    this.portraitCtrls[1]?.controller?.setVideoVisible?.(!this.refOpen);
+  }
+
+  // The claim row and the self win/kong buttons sit under the open panel's
+  // footprint — close it whenever they appear so nothing clickable is covered.
+  closeReferenceIfOpen() {
+    if (this.refOpen) this.toggleReference();
   }
 
   // ── tile drawing ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -382,7 +409,7 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
         bx += 40;
       }
     } else { // sides — vertical column of rotated backs
-      const x = seat === 1 ? 1858 : 62;
+      const x = seat === 1 ? 1858 : 155; // columns stay right of their portraits (seat 1: 1778+40, seat 3: 75+40)
       let y = 580 - ((n - 1) * step) / 2;
       for (let i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         const back = this.makeTileBack(SM_W, SM_H);
@@ -390,7 +417,7 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
         this.dyn.add(back);
         y += step;
       }
-      const mx = seat === 1 ? 1745 : 175;
+      const mx = seat === 1 ? 1745 : 270; // melds/bonus offset from their column
       let my = 330;
       for (const m of p.melds) {
         const row = this.makeMeldRow(m, 38, 52, false);
@@ -481,6 +508,7 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       btn.setVisible(!!spec);
       if (spec) btn.setLabel(`Kong ${shortName(spec.kind)}`);
     });
+    if (show && (acts?.canWin || this.kongSpecs.length > 0)) this.closeReferenceIfOpen();
   }
 
   // ── human input ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -521,6 +549,7 @@ export default class MahjongGame extends Phaser.Scene {
     return new Promise((resolve) => {
       this.claimResolve = resolve;
       this.chowOptions = opts.chows;
+      this.closeReferenceIfOpen();
       const visible = [];
       if (opts.win) visible.push(this.claimBtns.win);
       if (opts.kong) visible.push(this.claimBtns.kong);