diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index a996d38..b702b14 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -359,6 +359,6 @@
     </div>
   </div>
 </div>
-<script type="module" src="main.js?v=134"></script>
+<script type="module" src="main.js?v=135"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/render.js b/render.js
index 4c6b3dd..8947428 100644
--- a/render.js
+++ b/render.js
@@ -1190,24 +1190,29 @@ const AD_TOP = () => Math.round(proj(0, 0, -6).y) - AD_H; // top of the courtsid
 // or not — the icon sits LEFT of the text instead of stacking above it. Stacked, an icon card ran
 // 102 px tall and its lower third hung over live court; side-by-side it is 62 px flat, sits fully
 // over the crowd, and the art actually draws BIGGER than the stacked layout gave it.
-const CARD_TOP = 96, CARD_H = 62;
+const CARD_TOP = 96, CARD_H = 62, CARD_PAD = 14; // px of side padding inside the band
 
 function drawCard(title, sub1, sub2, color, icon) {
   const img = icon && SPR[icon];
   ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(10,6,8,0.72)'; ctx.fillRect(0, CARD_TOP, W, CARD_H);
-  if (img) { // left of the text block, vertically centred, boxed so a wide tin can't reach the type
+  // LEFT-ALIGNED layout on a padded column: icon inset by CARD_PAD, the type ragged-left beside
+  // it — centred type next to a left icon read as two unrelated things sharing a band
+  let tx = CARD_PAD;
+  if (img) { // vertically centred, boxed so a wide tin can't reach the type
     const k = Math.min((CARD_H - 10) / img.height, 58 / img.width);
     const iw = Math.round(img.width * k), ih = Math.round(img.height * k);
     ctx.imageSmoothingEnabled = false;
-    ctx.drawImage(img, 8, Math.round(CARD_TOP + (CARD_H - ih) / 2), iw, ih);
+    ctx.drawImage(img, CARD_PAD, Math.round(CARD_TOP + (CARD_H - ih) / 2), iw, ih);
+    tx += iw + 12;
   }
   // the title still SHOUTS (Bangers) but at 22, not 30 — up here it shares the screen with the
   // scoreboard and the ads, and 30 read as oversized the moment it left centre court
-  ctx.textAlign = 'center';
-  ctx.font = B(22); shadowText(title, W / 2, CARD_TOP + 4, color);
+  ctx.textAlign = 'left';
+  ctx.font = B(22); shadowText(title, tx, CARD_TOP + 4, color);
   ctx.font = F(8);
-  if (sub1) shadowText(sub1, W / 2, CARD_TOP + 34, UI.cream);
-  if (sub2) shadowText(sub2, W / 2, CARD_TOP + 48, UI.cream);
+  if (sub1) shadowText(sub1, tx, CARD_TOP + 34, UI.cream);
+  if (sub2) shadowText(sub2, tx, CARD_TOP + 48, UI.cream);
+  ctx.textAlign = 'center'; // the band's neighbours (flash, countdown) assume centred
 }
 
 // A GHOST HAND, fingertip at (x, y) — the tutorial finger every gesture hint shares. A drawn