needs to be a global variable, of course

views/player.py

@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ from wiz_game import the_game
 from starlette.websockets import WebSocketDisconnect
 import asyncio
 
+
+playing_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+
+
+
 @api.route("/player/{player}")
 def show(req, resp, player: str):
     p = int(player)
@@ -31,11 +36,11 @@ def show(req, resp, player: str):
 
 @api.route("/player/{player}/play/{card}")
 async def play(req, resp, player: str, card: str):
-    lock = asyncio.Lock()
     p = int(player)
     c = int(card)
 
-    async with lock:
+    global playing_lock
+    async with playing_lock:
         try:
             isActive = the_game.players_ordered[the_game.active_player].id == p
         except IndexError: