diff --git a/docs/classic-port-notes.md b/docs/classic-port-notes.md
index ad44973..0acfb89 100644
--- a/docs/classic-port-notes.md
+++ b/docs/classic-port-notes.md
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ src/coolrl_lost_cities/
   games/
     classic/
       game.pyx
-      reference.py
       snapshots.py
       evaluation.py
       env.py
diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/__init__.py b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/__init__.py
index b0d5b1c..1efc0e3 100644
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/__init__.py
+++ b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/__init__.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ from .game import (
     classic_config,
 )
 from .interfaces import Snapshot
-from .reference import ReferenceLostCitiesCard, ReferenceLostCitiesState
 
 __all__ = [
     "GameState",
@@ -33,8 +32,6 @@ __all__ = [
     "LostCitiesConfig",
     "LostCitiesEnv",
     "MatchResult",
-    "ReferenceLostCitiesCard",
-    "ReferenceLostCitiesState",
     "Snapshot",
     "available_bot_names",
     "build_bot",
diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/reference.py b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/reference.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e6f2f22..0000000
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/reference.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,70 +0,0 @@
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Any
-
-from .game import LostCitiesConfig
-
-
-@dataclass(frozen=True, order=True)
-class ReferenceLostCitiesCard:
-    color: int
-    rank: int
-
-
-class ReferenceLostCitiesState:
-    """Pure Python reference implementation placeholder."""
-
-    def __init__(self, config: LostCitiesConfig | None = None, **_: Any) -> None:
-        self.config = config or LostCitiesConfig()
-
-    @classmethod
-    def new_game(
-        cls,
-        config: LostCitiesConfig | None = None,
-        *,
-        seed: int | None = None,
-    ) -> ReferenceLostCitiesState:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    @classmethod
-    def new_game_from_deck(
-        cls,
-        deck: list[ReferenceLostCitiesCard],
-        config: LostCitiesConfig | None = None,
-    ) -> ReferenceLostCitiesState:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    @classmethod
-    def empty(cls, config: LostCitiesConfig | None = None) -> ReferenceLostCitiesState:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def to_snapshot(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    @classmethod
-    def from_snapshot(
-        cls,
-        snapshot: dict[str, Any],
-        *,
-        validate: bool = True,
-    ) -> ReferenceLostCitiesState:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def legal_mask(self) -> list[bool]:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def unified_legal_mask(self) -> list[bool]:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def apply_action(self, action_id: int) -> None:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def apply_unified_action(self, action_id: int) -> None:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def total_score(self, player: int) -> int:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
-
-    def score_diff(self, player: int = 0) -> int:
-        raise NotImplementedError("pure Python reference engine is not implemented yet")
diff --git a/tests/games/classic/test_reference.py b/tests/games/classic/test_reference.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 700cdb0..0000000
--- a/tests/games/classic/test_reference.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-import pytest
-
-from coolrl_lost_cities.games.classic import (
-    LostCitiesConfig,
-    ReferenceLostCitiesCard,
-    ReferenceLostCitiesState,
-)
-
-
-def test_reference_card_is_plain_ordered_value() -> None:
-    assert ReferenceLostCitiesCard(0, 1) < ReferenceLostCitiesCard(1, 0)
-
-
-def test_reference_state_placeholder_is_explicitly_unimplemented() -> None:
-    with pytest.raises(NotImplementedError):
-        ReferenceLostCitiesState.new_game(LostCitiesConfig())