diff --git a/game_flow.py b/game_flow.py
index 06c754c..6c5d2fa 100644
--- a/game_flow.py
+++ b/game_flow.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import random
 import asyncio
 import base64
 import json
+from typing import Awaitable, Callable
 
 import requests
 import websockets
@@ -19,16 +20,23 @@ def print_board(board):
     print("\n" + separator.join(rows) + "\n")
 
 
-class PlayerWebSocketHandler(object):
-    def __init__(self, custom_id: str, label: str):
+class WebSocketHandler(object):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        custom_id: str,
+        label: str,
+    ):
         self.custom_id = custom_id
         self.label = label
+
         self.token = None
         self.ws = None
         self.listener_task = None
 
-    # ---------- Auth & Connect ----------
+    async def on_message(self, msg: dict):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Override me!")
 
+    # ---------- Auth & Connect ----------
     def login(self):
         """Authenticate via custom ID and store token."""
         basic = base64.b64encode(f"{SERVER_KEY}:".encode()).decode()
@@ -50,31 +58,13 @@ class PlayerWebSocketHandler(object):
         self.ws = await websockets.connect(url)
 
     # ---------- Listener ----------
-
     async def listener(self):
         """Continuously receive events + decode match data."""
         try:
             while True:
                 raw = await self.ws.recv()
                 msg = json.loads(raw)
-
-                if "match_data" not in msg:
-                    print(f"[{self.label}] {msg}")
-                    continue
-
-                md = msg["match_data"]
-                op = int(md.get("op_code", 0))
-                payload = json.loads(base64.b64decode(md["data"]).decode())
-
-                if op == 1:
-                    print(f"[{self.label}] MOVE -> {payload}")
-                elif op == 2:
-                    print(f"\n[{self.label}] GAME STATE")
-                    print_board(payload["board"])
-                    print(f"Turn={payload['turn']}  Winner={payload['winner']}\n")
-                else:
-                    print(f"[{self.label}] UNKNOWN OPCODE {op}: {payload}")
-
+                await self.on_message(msg)  # ✅ handoff
         except websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedOK:
             print(f"[{self.label}] WebSocket closed gracefully")
         except websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedError as e:
@@ -85,8 +75,35 @@ class PlayerWebSocketHandler(object):
         if self.ws:
             self.listener_task = asyncio.create_task(self.listener())
 
-    # ---------- Match Helpers ----------
+    # ---------- Cleanup ----------
+    async def close(self):
+        if self.listener_task:
+            self.listener_task.cancel()
+        if self.ws:
+            await self.ws.close()
+            print(f"[{self.label}] Connection closed")
 
+
+class PlayerWebSocketHandler(WebSocketHandler):
+    async def on_message(self, msg):
+        if "match_data" not in msg:
+            print(f"[{self.label}] {msg}")
+            return
+
+        md = msg["match_data"]
+        op = int(md.get("op_code", 0))
+        payload = json.loads(base64.b64decode(md["data"]).decode())
+
+        if op == 1:
+            print(f"[{self.label}] MOVE -> {payload}")
+        elif op == 2:
+            print(f"\n[{self.label}] GAME STATE")
+            print_board(payload["board"])
+            print(f"Turn={payload['turn']}  Winner={payload['winner']}\n")
+        else:
+            print(f"[{self.label}] UNKNOWN OPCODE {op}: {payload}")
+
+    # ---------- Match Helpers ----------
     async def create_match(self) -> str:
         await self.ws.send(json.dumps({"match_create": {}}))
         msg = json.loads(await self.ws.recv())
@@ -100,7 +117,6 @@ class PlayerWebSocketHandler(object):
         print(f"[{self.label}] Joined match: {match_id}")
 
     # ---------- Gameplay ----------
-
     async def send_move(self, match_id: str, row: int, col: int):
         payload = {"row": row, "col": col}
         encoded = base64.b64encode(json.dumps(payload).encode()).decode()
@@ -114,15 +130,6 @@ class PlayerWebSocketHandler(object):
         }))
         print(f"[{self.label}] Sent move: {payload}")
 
-    # ---------- Cleanup ----------
-
-    async def close(self):
-        if self.listener_task:
-            self.listener_task.cancel()
-        if self.ws:
-            await self.ws.close()
-            print(f"[{self.label}] Connection closed")
-
 
 async def happy_path(
     match_id: str,