diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index cd48527..b64aaa4 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ env:
   IMAGE_NAME: euchre-camp
 
 jobs:
-  build-and-test:
+  release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Skip if this is an auto-generated version bump commit
     if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore: bump version')"
 
     steps:
@@ -19,14 +20,75 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN || github.token }}
 
-      - name: Get current version
+      - name: Configure Git
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "Gitea Actions"
+          git config user.email "actions@gitea.com"
+
+      - name: Determine version bump type
+        id: bump_type
+        run: |
+          # Get the merge commit message or use commits since last tag
+          MERGE_MSG="${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}"
+          echo "Commit message: $MERGE_MSG"
+
+          # Determine bump type from commit message or commits
+          if echo "$MERGE_MSG" | grep -qE "(BREAKING CHANGE|!:)"; then
+            echo "bump=major" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "Bump type: major (breaking change detected)"
+          elif echo "$MERGE_MSG" | grep -qE "^feat"; then
+            echo "bump=minor" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "Bump type: minor (feature detected)"
+          else
+            # Check actual commits in the PR
+            LAST_TAG=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+            if [ -n "$LAST_TAG" ]; then
+              COMMITS=$(git log --oneline ${LAST_TAG}..HEAD 2>/dev/null | head -5)
+            else
+              COMMITS=$(git log --oneline | head -5)
+            fi
+            echo "Recent commits: $COMMITS"
+
+            if echo "$COMMITS" | grep -qE "BREAKING\|!:"; then
+              echo "bump=major" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+              echo "Bump type: major (breaking change in commits)"
+            elif echo "$COMMITS" | grep -qE "^feat"; then
+              echo "bump=minor" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+              echo "Bump type: minor (feature in commits)"
+            else
+              echo "bump=patch" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+              echo "Bump type: patch (default)"
+            fi
+          fi
+
+      - name: Bump version
         id: version
         run: |
-          # Read version from package.json
-          CURRENT_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
-          echo "version=$CURRENT_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "Current version: $CURRENT_VERSION"
+          BUMP="${{ steps.bump_type.outputs.bump }}"
+          echo "Bumping version: $BUMP"
+
+          # Run the bump script
+          node scripts/bump-version.js "$BUMP" --yes
+
+          # Get new version
+          NEW_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
+          echo "new_version=$NEW_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "New version: $NEW_VERSION"
+
+      - name: Commit version bump
+        run: |
+          git add package.json CHANGELOG.md
+          git commit -m "chore: bump version to v${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
+          git push origin main
+
+      - name: Create git tag for release
+        run: |
+          TAG_NAME="v${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
+          echo "Creating tag $TAG_NAME"
+          git tag -a "$TAG_NAME" -m "Release $TAG_NAME"
+          git push origin "$TAG_NAME"
 
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
@@ -36,14 +98,14 @@ jobs:
           docker build \
             --target test-runner \
             --build-arg GIT_COMMIT=${{ github.sha }} \
-            -t ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}-test:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }} \
+            -t ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}-test:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }} \
             .
 
       - name: Run tests inside test-capable container
         run: |
           docker run --rm \
             -e DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/dummy" \
-            ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}-test:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }} \
+            ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}-test:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }} \
             npm run test:run
 
       - name: Build production image
@@ -51,53 +113,35 @@ jobs:
           docker build \
             --target runner \
             --build-arg GIT_COMMIT=${{ github.sha }} \
-            -t ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }} \
+            -t ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }} \
             -t ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest \
             .
 
-      - name: Configure Git
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "Gitea Actions"
-          git config user.email "actions@gitea.com"
-
-      - name: Create git tag for release
-        run: |
-          TAG_NAME="v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
-          # Check if tag already exists
-          if git rev-parse "$TAG_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "Tag $TAG_NAME already exists, skipping creation"
-          else
-            echo "Creating tag $TAG_NAME"
-            git tag -a "$TAG_NAME" -m "Release $TAG_NAME"
-          fi
-          # Always try to push (in case tag exists locally but not remotely)
-          git push origin "$TAG_NAME" || echo "Tag push failed (may already exist remotely)"
-
       - name: Push Docker images
         run: |
           echo "Pushing to ${{ env.REGISTRY }}..."
           # Check if we can authenticate to the registry using DOCKER_LOGIN and DOCKER_PASSWORD secrets
           if [ -n "${{ secrets.DOCKER_LOGIN }}" ] && [ -n "${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}" ]; then
             if docker login ${{ env.REGISTRY }} -u ${{ secrets.DOCKER_LOGIN }} -p ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }} 2>/dev/null; then
-              docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+              docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}
               docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest
               echo "Successfully pushed images to ${{ env.REGISTRY }}"
             else
               echo "Warning: Docker login failed with provided credentials"
               echo "Images built locally but not pushed to registry"
               echo "Manual push required:"
-              echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+              echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
               echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest"
             fi
           else
             echo "Warning: DOCKER_LOGIN or DOCKER_PASSWORD secrets not configured"
             echo "Images built locally but not pushed to registry"
             echo "Manual push required:"
-            echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+            echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
             echo "  docker push ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest"
           fi
 
       - name: Deploy to dev (placeholder)
         run: |
-          echo "Deploying version ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }} to dev environment..."
+          echo "Deploying version ${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }} to dev environment..."
           # TODO: Add actual deployment steps