diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.svelte b/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.svelte
index 98d8556..946d705 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.svelte
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 <script>
     import { onMount, onDestroy } from 'svelte';
+    import { push } from 'svelte-spa-router';
     import { apiRequest } from '../lib/api';
     import { extraMenuLinks } from '../lib/menu';
     import { getSuggestion } from '../lib/suggestions';
     import { displayName } from '../lib/cards';
     import { setPageTitle } from '../lib/title';
-    import { saveSession } from '../lib/sessions';
+    import { saveSession, removeSession } from '../lib/sessions';
 
     import LobbyPhase from '../components/LobbyPhase.svelte';
     import CharacterCreationPhase from '../components/CharacterCreationPhase.svelte';
@@ -106,6 +107,18 @@
         }
     }
 
+    // Voluntarily remove yourself from the game (cards go to the discard)
+    async function leaveGame() {
+        if (!confirm("Leave this game? Your cards go to the discard and you'll need a new invite to rejoin. This can't be undone.")) return;
+        try {
+            await apiRequest(`/game/${gameId}/player/${playerId}/leave`, 'POST');
+            removeSession(gameId, playerId);
+            push('/');
+        } catch (err) {
+            error = err.message;
+        }
+    }
+
     // Distinguish tabs/history by the Pi-Rat (and crew) this dashboard is for
     $: setPageTitle(state ? displayName(state.player) : null, state?.game?.crew_name);
 
@@ -150,6 +163,13 @@
             }
             items.push({ label: '🛠️ Admin', href: `#/game/${gameId}/admin`, title: 'Open the Admin Panel' });
         }
+        if (state?.player) {
+            items.push({
+                label: '🚪 Leave Game',
+                action: leaveGame,
+                title: 'Remove yourself from this game (your cards go to the discard)',
+            });
+        }
         extraMenuLinks.set(items);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/pirats/crud_upkeep.py b/src/pirats/crud_upkeep.py
index 1ace400..b67b01b 100644
--- a/src/pirats/crud_upkeep.py
+++ b/src/pirats/crud_upkeep.py
@@ -228,29 +228,20 @@ def recheck_phase_completion(db: Session, game: Game):
     elif phase == "recruit_creation":
         cc.maybe_finish_recruit_creation(db, game)
 
-def kick_player(db: Session, game: Game, target: Player) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
-    """Remove a player mid-game (e.g. one who vanished) so the table isn't left
-    waiting on them. Their hand returns to the discard, every reference to them
-    is cleared or reassigned, and the current phase's completion gate is
-    re-checked so the game can move on."""
+def _remove_player(db: Session, game: Game, target: Player, event_message: str,
+                   captain_reason: str, event_kind: str = "warning"):
+    """Shared mechanics for taking a player out of a game (a kick or a voluntary
+    leave): drop their captaincy, votes and Challenges, repair everyone else's
+    references to them, then delete the row. Their hand and any PvP temp card
+    simply stop being "in play", so reshuffle_discard_pile folds them back into
+    the deck as discards — no hand clearing needed. Finally re-check the current
+    phase's completion gate so a departed blocker can't stall the table."""
     from . import crud_character as cc
-
-    if target.game_id != game.id:
-        return False, "That player isn't in this crew."
-    admin_count = sum(1 for p in game.players if p.is_admin)
-    if target.is_admin and admin_count <= 1:
-        return False, "You can't kick the last Admin. Grant someone else Admin first."
-
-    name = target.name
     target_id = target.id
 
-    # Hand the captaincy to nobody if the kicked player held it.
     if game.captain_player_id == target_id:
-        set_captain(db, game, None, reason=f"{name} was kicked")
+        set_captain(db, game, None, reason=captain_reason)
 
-    # Drop their votes (cast or received) and any Challenge they're part of.
-    # The kicked player's hand and any PvP temp card simply stop being "in play",
-    # so reshuffle_discard_pile folds them back into the deck as discards.
     for v in list(game.votes):
         if target_id in (v.voter_player_id, v.nominated_player_id):
             db.delete(v)
@@ -259,15 +250,39 @@ def kick_player(db: Session, game: Game, target: Player) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
             db.delete(ch)
     db.commit()
 
-    # Fix everyone else's pointers to the kicked player before removing them.
     cc.repair_references_to_removed_player(db, game, target_id)
 
     db.delete(target)
     db.commit()
     db.refresh(game)
 
-    add_game_event(db, game.id, f"{name} was kicked from the crew. Their cards return to the discard.", kind="warning")
-
-    # The blocker is gone — the current phase may now be able to advance.
+    add_game_event(db, game.id, event_message, kind=event_kind)
     recheck_phase_completion(db, game)
+
+def kick_player(db: Session, game: Game, target: Player) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+    """An Admin removes a player mid-game (e.g. one who vanished) so the table
+    isn't left waiting on them."""
+    if target.game_id != game.id:
+        return False, "That player isn't in this crew."
+    admin_count = sum(1 for p in game.players if p.is_admin)
+    if target.is_admin and admin_count <= 1:
+        return False, "You can't kick the last Admin. Grant someone else Admin first."
+    name = target.name
+    _remove_player(db, game, target,
+                   f"{name} was kicked from the crew. Their cards return to the discard.",
+                   f"{name} was kicked")
     return True, f"{name} was kicked from the crew."
+
+def leave_game(db: Session, game: Game, target: Player) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+    """A player removes themselves from the game. Same mechanics as a kick; the
+    last Admin must hand off Admin first so the table isn't left without one."""
+    if target.game_id != game.id:
+        return False, "You're not in this crew."
+    admin_count = sum(1 for p in game.players if p.is_admin)
+    if target.is_admin and admin_count <= 1:
+        return False, "You're the last Admin — grant someone else Admin before you leave."
+    name = target.name
+    _remove_player(db, game, target,
+                   f"{name} left the crew. Their cards return to the discard.",
+                   f"{name} left", event_kind="join")
+    return True, f"{name} left the crew."
diff --git a/src/pirats/main.py b/src/pirats/main.py
index 6d6d145..5b89a49 100644
--- a/src/pirats/main.py
+++ b/src/pirats/main.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 from typing import Optional
 from fastapi import FastAPI, Form, Depends, HTTPException, APIRouter, WebSocket, WebSocketDisconnect
-from fastapi.responses import FileResponse
+from fastapi.responses import FileResponse, JSONResponse
 from fastapi.staticfiles import StaticFiles
 from sqlmodel import Session
 import re
@@ -76,6 +76,18 @@ def join_game_submit(
     player = crud.add_player(db, game_id, name.strip(), is_creator=is_creator)
     return {"id": player.id}
 
+@api.post("/game/{game_id}/player/{player_id}/leave")
+def leave_game_route(game_id: str, player_id: str, db: Session = Depends(get_session)):
+    """A player voluntarily removes themselves from the game (counterpart to join)."""
+    game = crud.get_game(db, game_id)
+    player = crud.get_player(db, player_id)
+    if not game or not player or player.game_id != game.id:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Game or Player not found")
+    ok, msg = crud.leave_game(db, game, player)
+    if not ok:
+        return JSONResponse({"error": msg}, status_code=400)
+    return {"status": "ok"}
+
 @api.get("/game/{game_id}/player/{player_id}/state")
 def get_game_state(game_id: str, player_id: str, db: Session = Depends(get_session)):
     game = crud.get_game(db, game_id)
diff --git a/tests/test_game.py b/tests/test_game.py
index 7d06c20..3d15e1f 100644
--- a/tests/test_game.py
+++ b/tests/test_game.py
@@ -1967,3 +1967,73 @@ def test_kick_endpoint_and_last_admin_guard():
         assert crud.get_player(session, creator.id) is None
     finally:
         app.dependency_overrides.clear()
+
+def test_leave_game_unblocks_phase(session):
+    """A player who leaves on their own is removed like a kick, and the phase
+    advances if they were the last blocker. The log shows a leave, not a kick."""
+    game = crud.create_game(session)
+    p1 = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "P1", is_creator=True)
+    p2 = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "P2")
+    p3 = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "P3")
+    game.phase = "character_creation"
+    session.add(game)
+    session.commit()
+
+    crud.submit_techniques(session, p1.id, "Alpha", "Beta", "Gamma")
+    crud.submit_techniques(session, p2.id, "Delta", "Epsilon", "Zeta")
+    session.refresh(game)
+    assert game.phase == "character_creation"  # still blocked on p3
+
+    ok, msg = crud.leave_game(session, game, p3)
+    assert ok, msg
+    session.refresh(game)
+    assert game.phase == "swap_techniques"
+    assert crud.get_player(session, p3.id) is None
+    assert any("P3 left the crew" in e.message for e in game.events)
+
+def test_leave_endpoint_and_last_admin_guard():
+    from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+    from sqlalchemy.pool import StaticPool
+    from sqlmodel import SQLModel, create_engine, Session
+    from pirats.main import app
+    from pirats import crud
+
+    engine = create_engine(
+        "sqlite://",
+        connect_args={"check_same_thread": False},
+        poolclass=StaticPool,
+    )
+    SQLModel.metadata.create_all(engine)
+    session = Session(engine)
+
+    game = crud.create_game(session)
+    creator = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "Creator", is_creator=True)
+    mate = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "Mate")
+    extra = crud.add_player(session, game.id, "Extra")
+
+    def get_session_override():
+        yield session
+
+    from pirats.database import get_session
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_session] = get_session_override
+    client = TestClient(app)
+
+    try:
+        # The sole Admin can't abandon the table without handing off Admin first
+        r = client.post(f"/api/game/{game.id}/player/{creator.id}/leave")
+        assert r.status_code == 400
+        assert "last Admin" in r.json()["error"]
+
+        # A regular player can leave themselves (no admin key needed)
+        r = client.post(f"/api/game/{game.id}/player/{mate.id}/leave")
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        assert crud.get_player(session, mate.id) is None
+
+        # With a co-admin present, even the creator can leave
+        client.post(f"/api/game/{game.id}/admin/set-admin",
+                    data={"key": game.admin_key, "target_player_id": extra.id, "is_admin": True})
+        r = client.post(f"/api/game/{game.id}/player/{creator.id}/leave")
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+        assert crud.get_player(session, creator.id) is None
+    finally:
+        app.dependency_overrides.clear()