diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/config.py b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/config.py
index 9b9cfcd..dfce91c 100644
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/config.py
+++ b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/config.py
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ class MctsConfig(StrictModel):
     # bad backup permanently kills an action. Setting q_scale=100 normalizes Q
     # to ~[-1, 1] (consistent with AlphaZero's convention).
     q_scale: float = 100.0
+    # Opponent-aware search: when set, the search tree treats the opponent
+    # seat as a fixed external policy (heuristic bot) instead of expanding it
+    # with the network's priors/value. Used during mixed-opponent self-play
+    # so root visit distributions reflect the *actual* opponent the trainee
+    # faces. Bot name is taken from training.mixed_opponent_bot.
+    opponent_aware_search: bool = False
 
     @field_validator("n_simulations", "max_depth", "parallel_simulations")
     @classmethod
@@ -90,6 +96,15 @@ class TrainingConfig(StrictModel):
     md_target_alpha_start: float = 0.3
     md_target_alpha_end: float = 0.8
     md_target_alpha_iters: int = 500
+    # Mixed-opponent self-play: a fraction of games per iteration are played
+    # against a fixed external bot instead of the current network. Only the
+    # trainee's decisions are stored as policy targets; opponent moves are
+    # taken by `mixed_opponent_bot.act(state)`. Combined with
+    # mcts.opponent_aware_search, the MCTS tree models the opponent as that
+    # same bot so root-visit distributions reflect the real opponent.
+    # Set fraction=0 to disable (pure self-play).
+    mixed_opponent_fraction: float = 0.0
+    mixed_opponent_bot: str = "heuristic-balanced"
 
     @field_validator(
         "games_per_iter",
diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/interleaved_self_play.py b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/interleaved_self_play.py
index 583e5b4..a8044a6 100644
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/interleaved_self_play.py
+++ b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/interleaved_self_play.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 import numpy as np
 import torch
 
+from coolrl_lost_cities.games.classic.bots.registry import build_bot
 from coolrl_lost_cities.games.classic.deep_cfr.encoding import encode_info_state
 from coolrl_lost_cities.games.classic.game import GameState, LostCitiesConfig
 
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ class _GameContext:
     game_index: int
     decisions: list[_PendingDecision] = field(default_factory=list)
     steps: int = 0
+    # Mixed-opponent setup: when traverser_seat is not None, only that seat
+    # uses MCTS+network; the other seat is played by `opponent_bot`. None for
+    # pure self-play games (both seats use MCTS).
+    traverser_seat: int | None = None
+    opponent_bot: object | None = None
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -61,15 +67,28 @@ def play_self_play_iteration(
     active: list[_GameContext] = []
     started = 0
     target_games = training_config.games_per_iter
+    mixed_fraction = float(training_config.mixed_opponent_fraction)
 
     def fill_active() -> None:
         nonlocal started
         while len(active) < training_config.interleave_games and started < target_games:
+            traverser_seat: int | None = None
+            opponent_bot = None
+            if mixed_fraction > 0.0 and rng.random() < mixed_fraction:
+                # Alternate trainee seat so MCTS sees both first- and
+                # second-player perspectives equally.
+                traverser_seat = started % 2
+                opponent_bot = build_bot(
+                    training_config.mixed_opponent_bot,
+                    seed=rng.randrange(2**31),
+                )
             active.append(
                 _GameContext(
                     state=GameState.new_game(game_config, seed=rng.randrange(2**31)),
                     rng=random.Random(rng.randrange(2**31)),
                     game_index=started,
+                    traverser_seat=traverser_seat,
+                    opponent_bot=opponent_bot,
                 )
             )
             started += 1
@@ -83,6 +102,19 @@ def play_self_play_iteration(
                 completed.append(_finalize_context(context))
                 continue
             player = int(context.state.current_player)
+            # Mixed-opponent: if it's the opponent's turn in a mixed game,
+            # let the heuristic bot move directly (no MCTS, no sample).
+            if (
+                context.traverser_seat is not None
+                and context.opponent_bot is not None
+                and player != context.traverser_seat
+            ):
+                phase_action = context.opponent_bot.act(context.state)
+                unified = context.state.to_unified_action(phase_action)
+                context.state.apply_unified_action(unified)
+                context.steps += 1
+                still_active.append(context)
+                continue
             searcher = IsMctsSearcher(
                 network,
                 mcts_config,
@@ -90,6 +122,18 @@ def play_self_play_iteration(
                 encoding=encoding,
                 rng=random.Random(context.rng.randrange(2**31)),
             )
+            # Pass opponent bot into the searcher for opponent-aware
+            # determinization (search models the real opponent the trainee
+            # faces, not a self-play mirror).
+            if (
+                mcts_config.opponent_aware_search
+                and context.traverser_seat is not None
+                and context.opponent_bot is not None
+            ):
+                searcher.set_opponent_bot(
+                    context.opponent_bot,
+                    traverser_seat=context.traverser_seat,
+                )
             jobs.append(
                 _SearchJob(
                     context=context,
diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.py b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.py
index 2b516df..c8bdda1 100644
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.py
+++ b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.py
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@ class IsMctsSearcher:
         self._rollout_bot = (
             HeuristicBot() if config.rollout_policy == "heuristic_balanced" else None
         )
+        # Opponent-aware search: see mcts.pyx for the rationale.
+        self._opponent_bot: object | None = None
+        self._traverser_seat: int = -1
+
+    def set_opponent_bot(self, bot: object, *, traverser_seat: int) -> None:
+        self._opponent_bot = bot
+        self._traverser_seat = int(traverser_seat)
 
     def search(
         self,
@@ -133,34 +140,45 @@ class IsMctsSearcher:
         # Cache the info-set key for the current node so we don't recompute it
         # after applying an action (the child's key becomes the next iter's key).
         cached_key: bytes | None = None
+        opponent_aware = self._opponent_bot is not None
+        trav_seat = self._traverser_seat
         while True:
             player = int(state.current_player)
             if state.terminal or depth >= self.config.max_depth:
+                leaf_seat = trav_seat if opponent_aware else player
                 return PendingSimulation(
                     path=path,
                     leaf_state=state,
                     leaf_node=None,
-                    leaf_player=player,
+                    leaf_player=leaf_seat,
                     info_state=None,
                     legal_mask=None,
                     legal_actions=[],
-                    terminal_value=float(state.score_diff(player)),
+                    terminal_value=float(state.score_diff(leaf_seat)),
                 )
+            if opponent_aware and player != trav_seat:
+                phase_action = self._opponent_bot.act(state)
+                unified = state.to_unified_action(phase_action)
+                state.apply_unified_action(unified)
+                cached_key = None
+                depth += 1
+                continue
             key = cached_key if cached_key is not None else canonical_info_set_key(state, player)
             node = self.tree.get_or_create(key, player=player, terminal=state.terminal)
             if not node.is_expanded():
                 legal_actions = state.unified_legal_actions()
                 if not legal_actions:
                     node.terminal = True
+                    leaf_seat = trav_seat if opponent_aware else player
                     return PendingSimulation(
                         path=path,
                         leaf_state=state,
                         leaf_node=node,
-                        leaf_player=player,
+                        leaf_player=leaf_seat,
                         info_state=None,
                         legal_mask=None,
                         legal_actions=[],
-                        terminal_value=float(state.score_diff(player)),
+                        terminal_value=float(state.score_diff(leaf_seat)),
                     )
                 return PendingSimulation(
                     path=path,
diff --git a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.pyx b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.pyx
index 28c4041..8185552 100644
--- a/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.pyx
+++ b/src/coolrl_lost_cities/games/classic/ismcts/mcts.pyx
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@ cdef class IsMctsSearcher:
     cdef public MctsTree tree
     cdef HeuristicBot _rollout_bot
     cdef int action_size
+    # Opponent-aware search: when set, the search treats one seat as a fixed
+    # external policy (heuristic bot). Opponent moves are applied directly
+    # without entering the tree, and all values are taken from the
+    # traverser's perspective. None for standard symmetric self-play search.
+    cdef public object _opponent_bot
+    cdef public int _traverser_seat
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -318,6 +324,12 @@ cdef class IsMctsSearcher:
         self._rollout_bot = (
             <HeuristicBot>PyHeuristicBot() if config.rollout_policy == "heuristic_balanced" else None
         )
+        self._opponent_bot = None
+        self._traverser_seat = -1
+
+    def set_opponent_bot(self, object bot, *, int traverser_seat):
+        self._opponent_bot = bot
+        self._traverser_seat = traverser_seat
 
     cdef inline int _from_unified_action_c(self, GameState state, int action_id) noexcept:
         cdef int card_action_size = 2 * state.hand_size
@@ -390,19 +402,41 @@ cdef class IsMctsSearcher:
         cdef int actions[MAX_ACTIONS]
         cdef int action_count
         cdef int i
+        cdef bint opponent_aware = self._opponent_bot is not None
+        cdef int leaf_player_seat
+        cdef int trav_seat = self._traverser_seat
+        cdef object phase_action
+        cdef int unified_action
         while True:
             player = state.current_player
             if state.terminal or depth >= int(self.config.max_depth):
+                if opponent_aware:
+                    leaf_player_seat = trav_seat
+                else:
+                    leaf_player_seat = player
                 return PendingSimulation(
                     path=path,
                     leaf_state=state,
                     leaf_node=None,
-                    leaf_player=player,
+                    leaf_player=leaf_player_seat,
                     info_state=None,
                     legal_mask=None,
                     legal_actions=[],
-                    terminal_value=float(state.total_scores[player] - state.total_scores[1 - player]),
+                    terminal_value=float(
+                        state.total_scores[leaf_player_seat]
+                        - state.total_scores[1 - leaf_player_seat]
+                    ),
                 )
+            # Opponent-aware: if it's the opponent's turn, let the heuristic
+            # bot move directly instead of expanding the tree.
+            if opponent_aware and player != trav_seat:
+                phase_action = self._opponent_bot.act(state)
+                unified_action = state.to_unified_action(phase_action)
+                local_action = self._from_unified_action_c(state, unified_action)
+                state._push_action_c(local_action)
+                cached_key = None
+                depth += 1
+                continue
             if cached_key is None:
                 key = canonical_info_set_key(state, player)
             else:
@@ -413,15 +447,22 @@ cdef class IsMctsSearcher:
                 legal_actions = [actions[i] for i in range(action_count)]
                 if not legal_actions:
                     node.terminal = True
+                    if opponent_aware:
+                        leaf_player_seat = trav_seat
+                    else:
+                        leaf_player_seat = player
                     return PendingSimulation(
                         path=path,
                         leaf_state=state,
                         leaf_node=node,
-                        leaf_player=player,
+                        leaf_player=leaf_player_seat,
                         info_state=None,
                         legal_mask=None,
                         legal_actions=[],
-                        terminal_value=float(state.total_scores[player] - state.total_scores[1 - player]),
+                        terminal_value=float(
+                            state.total_scores[leaf_player_seat]
+                            - state.total_scores[1 - leaf_player_seat]
+                        ),
                     )
                 return PendingSimulation(
                     path=path,