feat(ui): per-kind active-game limit lock on the New Game screen

Carry the caller's per-tier active-game caps and each game's kind on the
wire (Profile.game_limits + GameView.kind, additive FBS + gateway transcode
+ client codec, committed regen). The New Game screen counts the player's
active games per kind from the lobby and locks a capped start: an outline
button with a lock that opens a funnel modal instead of a game -- a sign-in
prompt for a guest, a "finish a current game first" notice for a signed-in
account (native Telegram popup, in-app modal elsewhere). The lock lifts via
the existing profile refetch after a guest->durable upgrade.

Remove the lobby's old at_game_limit New-Game tab disable + notice: the flag
(now the random-kind cap) conflicted with the per-kind lock -- it hid the
screen where the lock lives and wrongly blocked an unfulfilled kind. The New
Game tab is always enabled; the per-kind start lock is the only gate. The
at_game_limit wire field stays (unused by the client) for a later cleanup.

Tests: client lock logic + codec kind/game_limits roundtrip + gateway
transcode encode + native popup builders (unit); a mock e2e for the lock
badge and the modal.

PLAN.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ status — without re-deriving decisions.
 | E5 | Payment intake | 2 | DONE |
 | E6 | Ads | 2 | DONE |
 | E7 | Admin, reports & catalog | 2 | DONE |
-| E8 | Guest limits | — | WIP |
+| E8 | Guest limits | — | DONE |
 | E9 | Tournament fee | future | TODO |
 
 **Release 1** = full mechanics with no real money, exercised via `admin_grant` (E0→E1→E2→E3).
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ become bootstrap-only.
 
 ## E8 — Guest limits
 
-**Status:** WIP · **standalone** (game-behaviour change) · depends on: none · mechanics: PAYMENTS §6.
+**Status:** DONE · **standalone** (game-behaviour change) · depends on: none · mechanics: PAYMENTS §6.
 
 **Goal.** A registration funnel: cap what a guest can do, enforced **server-side** (today UI-only),
 with configurable per-tier × per-kind limits so the pressure tunes without a release.
@@ -833,12 +833,19 @@ payments mixed in.
   `game.Service.AtGameLimit`; the **`internal/gamelimits` config + hot cache** (loaded at boot,
   invalidated on edit); the admin **kind column** in both game lists (`/_gm/games` + the user card)
   and a **config editor** (`/_gm/limits`) for the six limits.
-- **PR2 — wire + client:** `Profile.game_limits` (the caller's tier) + `GameView.kind` (FBS +
-  transcode + codec); the client per-kind active count from the lobby; the **lock badge** on a capped
-  new-game start button, with two messages by tier — a **guest** login-funnel modal ("Войдите или
-  создайте учётную запись…", Отмена / Вход→profile) and, for a **durable** account at its cap, a plain
-  notice ("Вы достигли лимита одновременных игр, сначала завершите текущие", ОК; **native** popup in
-  Telegram — no gesture-gated API follows it); the profile re-fetch after a guest→durable upgrade.
+- ~~**PR2 — wire + client** — DONE.~~ `Profile.game_limits` (the caller's tier) + `GameView.kind` (FBS
+  + gateway transcode + client codec, committed regen); the client counts active games per kind from
+  the lobby cache (`gamelimits.ts`) and locks a capped new-game start — an **outline 🔒** button that
+  opens `GameLimitModal` instead of a game, native (Telegram `showPopup`) or the in-app `Modal`
+  elsewhere, with two messages by tier: a **guest** sign-in funnel ("Войдите или создайте учётную
+  запись…", Отмена / Вход→`/settings`) and, for a **durable** account at its cap, a plain notice
+  ("Вы достигли лимита одновременных игр, сначала завершите текущие", ОК). The lock lifts via the
+  existing profile re-fetch after a guest→durable upgrade.
+  - **Decision (owner-agreed): the lobby's old `at_game_limit` New-Game tab-disable + notice is
+    removed.** The `at_game_limit` flag (now the random-kind cap) conflicted with the per-kind lock —
+    it hid the New-Game screen where the lock lives, and wrongly blocked starting an unfulfilled kind.
+    The tab is always enabled; the per-kind lock on the start button is the only gate. The wire field
+    `GameList.at_game_limit` stays (unused by the client) for a later cleanup.
 
 **Tests.**
 
@@ -846,8 +853,10 @@ payments mixed in.
   (domain + HTTP 403); guest blocked from a 2nd vs_ai / 2nd random (+ `at_game_limit`); durable on the
   higher tier; the durable friends cap + config cache reflecting an admin edit; accept stays exempt.
 - unit (PR1, done): the per-tier/kind limit resolution (`Cap`, `LimitsFor`).
-- UI (PR2): the lock + the two modals on a capped button (mock); the profile re-fetch lifts the lock
-  after register.
+- unit + UI (PR2, done): the client lock logic (`gamelimits.ts` — count/cap/lock), the codec kind +
+  game_limits roundtrip, the gateway transcode game_limits encode, the popup builders, and a mock e2e
+  (`gamelimit.spec.ts`) — a capped start shows 🔒, opens the modal without navigating, and the lock
+  clears when the profile refetch lifts the cap.
 
 **Done-criteria.** A guest is server-capped (default 1 vs_ai + 1 random, configurable) and cannot
 friend/invite; a durable account is capped at 10 per kind (configurable); the client shows the lock +

backend/internal/server/banner.go

@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ func (s *Server) profileResponse(ctx context.Context, acc account.Account) profi
 	}
 	r.Banner = s.bannerFor(ctx, acc, cxt, present)
 	r.Ads = s.adsFor(ctx, acc, cxt, present)
+	r.GameLimits = s.gameLimitsDTOFor(acc.IsGuest)
 	s.fillLinkedIdentities(ctx, &r, acc.ID)
 	r.DictVersions = s.currentDictVersions()
 	return r

backend/internal/server/dto.go

@@ -78,6 +78,18 @@ type profileResponse struct {
 	// Filled outside the pure projection (it reads the dictionary registry), so it is empty
 	// for callers that build the DTO without a Server. See Server.profileResponse.
 	DictVersions []dictVersion `json:"dict_versions,omitempty"`
+	// GameLimits carries the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited); the client
+	// counts its active games per kind from the lobby and locks a capped New-Game start. Filled
+	// outside the pure projection (it reads the limits config). See Server.profileResponse.
+	GameLimits *gameLimitsDTO `json:"game_limits,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// gameLimitsDTO is the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited), for the client's
+// per-kind New-Game lock. profileResponse.GameLimits carries it.
+type gameLimitsDTO struct {
+	VsAI    int `json:"vs_ai"`
+	Random  int `json:"random"`
+	Friends int `json:"friends"`
 }
 
 // dictVersion pairs a game variant's stable label (engine.Variant.String) with its current
@@ -134,7 +146,11 @@ type gameDTO struct {
 	MultipleWordsPerTurn bool   `json:"multiple_words_per_turn"`
 	// VsAI marks an honest-AI game: the opponent is shown as 🤖 and chat/nudge/add-friend
 	// are suppressed in the client.
-	VsAI      bool   `json:"vs_ai"`
+	VsAI bool `json:"vs_ai"`
+	// Kind is the game's origin for the active-game limits (game.Kind): 0 unknown (a pre-existing
+	// game), 1 vs_ai, 2 random, 3 friends. The lobby counts active games per kind to lock a capped
+	// New-Game start.
+	Kind      int    `json:"kind"`
 	MoveCount int    `json:"move_count"`
 	EndReason string `json:"end_reason"`
 	// LastActivityUnix is the lobby sort key: the current turn's start for an active
@@ -277,6 +293,7 @@ func gameDTOFromGame(g game.Game) gameDTO {
 		TurnTimeoutSecs:      int(g.TurnTimeout.Seconds()),
 		MultipleWordsPerTurn: g.MultipleWordsPerTurn,
 		VsAI:                 g.VsAI,
+		Kind:                 int(g.Kind),
 		MoveCount:            g.MoveCount,
 		EndReason:            g.EndReason,
 		LastActivityUnix:     last.Unix(),

backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_limits.go

@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@ import (
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/gamelimits"
 )
 
+// gameLimitsDTOFor resolves the caller's tier active-game caps into the profile DTO, so the client
+// can lock a capped New-Game start per kind. It returns nil when the limits config is not wired.
+func (s *Server) gameLimitsDTOFor(isGuest bool) *gameLimitsDTO {
+	if s.gamelimits == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	l := s.gamelimits.LimitsFor(isGuest)
+	return &gameLimitsDTO{VsAI: l.VsAI, Random: l.Random, Friends: l.Friends}
+}
+
 // consoleLimits renders the per-tier, per-kind active-game limit form (backend.config), read from
 // the in-memory cache.
 func (s *Server) consoleLimits(c *gin.Context) {

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -666,11 +666,14 @@ in either direction (the enqueue excludes the caller's `BlockedWith` set);
   refuses a **guest** outright with **403** (guests cannot use friends — the same guest gate
   covers friend requests and friend-code redemption). **Accepting** an invitation
   (`POST /invitations/:id/accept`) is never gated, so friend games are capped only at
-  initiation. The lobby learns the random-kind state from a boolean **`at_game_limit`** on
-  the `games.list` response — already re-fetched on entry and every game event; the client
-  additionally counts the listed games per kind against the per-tier caps it reads in the
-  profile, locking a kind's New-Game entry (a login funnel for a guest, an already-at-limit
-  note for a durable account) when that kind is full.
+  initiation. The client counts its lobby games per kind against the per-tier caps it reads on
+  the profile (`Profile.game_limits`, carrying `GameView.kind`), and locks a capped kind's
+  New-Game start — a 🔒 outline button that opens a prompt instead of a game: a sign-in funnel
+  for a guest, a "finish a current game first" notice for a durable account (native inside
+  Telegram, an in-app modal elsewhere), lifting when the profile is re-fetched after a
+  guest→durable upgrade. The `games.list` `at_game_limit` boolean (now the random-kind cap) is
+  still carried but no longer drives the UI — the per-kind start lock superseded the old
+  New-Game-tab disable.
 - **Friends**: two add paths over one `friendships` table. A **one-time
   code** the to-be-added player issues (a `friend_codes` row: 6-digit numeric,
   SHA-256-hashed, **12 h** TTL, one live code per issuer, single-use, redeem

docs/FUNCTIONAL.md

@@ -190,14 +190,17 @@ Mini App, the link only opens the app and the recipient enters the copied code b
 settings and the game starts once every invitee has accepted — any decline cancels it, and an unanswered invitation
 expires after seven days.
 
-**Simultaneous-game cap.** A player may hold at most **10 active quick games** at once —
-counting both in-progress and still-searching auto-match/AI games, but **not** friend games
-created by invitation. At the cap the **New Game** button is disabled (greyed) and a plain,
-low-emphasis line under the lists reads *"You've reached the simultaneous games limit."*; both
-clear automatically once an active game finishes and the count drops below ten. The cap blocks
-**starting** any game (a quick game or a friend invitation, which share the New Game entry), but
-**accepting an incoming invitation is never blocked** — so friend games are capped from the other
-end (you cannot initiate one while at the cap) while you can always join a game you are invited to.
+**Active-game caps (per kind).** A player's simultaneous unfinished games are capped **per kind** —
+against the AI, in a random match, and by friend invitation — with separate limits for a **guest**
+and a signed-in (durable) account, tuned by the operator without a release. A **guest** may hold **1**
+game against the AI and **1** random match at once and cannot start friend games at all; a signed-in
+account holds up to **10** of each kind. Only in-progress and still-searching games count; a finished
+game frees its slot, and games already in progress are never interrupted. On the **New Game** screen a
+start whose kind is at its cap shows a **🔒** and, when tapped, opens a short prompt instead of a game:
+a **guest** is invited to sign in or create an account (to play several games at once), a signed-in
+player is told to finish a current game first. **Accepting an incoming invitation is never blocked** —
+friend games are capped only when you start one. The server enforces every cap regardless of the
+client, and refuses a guest's friend request, friend code or invitation outright.
 
 ### Playing a game
 Place tiles, pass, exchange, or resign. Pass and exchange share one control —

docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md

@@ -197,15 +197,18 @@ e-mail) либо ввод фразы. Активные игры форфейтя
 выбирает настройки, и партия стартует, когда приняли все приглашённые — любой отказ отменяет приглашение, а без
 ответа приглашение протухает через семь дней.
 
-**Лимит одновременных партий.** Игрок может держать одновременно не более **10 активных
-быстрых партий** — считаются и идущие, и ещё ищущие соперника авто-подбор/AI-партии, но **не**
-игры с друзьями, созданные приглашением. На лимите кнопка **«Новая игра»** становится неактивной
-(серой), а под списками появляется ненавязчивая строка *«Вы достигли лимита одновременных
-партий»*; и кнопка, и надпись снимаются автоматически, как только активная партия завершается и
-счётчик опускается ниже десяти. Лимит запрещает **создавать** любую партию (быструю или
-приглашение в игру с друзьями — у них общий вход «Новая игра»), но **принимать входящее
-приглашение никогда не запрещено** — так игры с друзьями ограничиваются «с другого конца» (на
-лимите их нельзя инициировать), а присоединиться к партии по приглашению можно всегда.
+**Лимит одновременных партий (по видам).** Число одновременных незавершённых партий игрока
+ограничено **по видам** — против AI, в случайном подборе и по приглашению друзей — с раздельными
+лимитами для **гостя** и для вошедшего (постоянного) аккаунта; оператор настраивает их без релиза.
+**Гость** может держать **1** партию против AI и **1** случайную одновременно и вовсе не может
+создавать игры с друзьями; вошедший аккаунт — до **10** каждого вида. Считаются только идущие и ещё
+ищущие соперника партии; завершённая освобождает слот, а уже идущие партии никогда не прерываются.
+На экране **«Новая игра»** старт того вида, что достиг лимита, показывает **🔒** и по нажатию
+открывает короткое сообщение вместо партии: **гостю** предлагают войти или создать учётную запись
+(чтобы играть несколько партий сразу), вошедшему — сначала завершить текущую. **Принимать входящее
+приглашение никогда не запрещено** — игры с друзьями ограничиваются только при создании. Сервер
+применяет все лимиты независимо от клиента и напрямую отклоняет заявку в друзья, код друга или
+приглашение от гостя.
 
 ### Игровой процесс
 Выкладывание фишек, пас, обмен или сдача. Пас и обмен — один элемент управления:

docs/UI_DESIGN.md

@@ -347,12 +347,15 @@ its entrance (`components/Toast.svelte`, re-keyed on a per-message sequence). An
 lives ~2 s, drifting up by about the tab-bar height as it fades (a plain fade, no travel, under
 reduce-motion); an **error** toast dwells longer (~4 s). Either dismisses instantly on tap.
 
-**Simultaneous-game cap.** When the player is at the active-quick-game cap (`games.list`
-`at_game_limit`), the lobby's **New Game** tab is **disabled** (greyed via the shared
-`.tab:disabled` opacity) and a plain, low-emphasis line — muted, centred, no accent — sits
-under the lists with the localized "limit reached" notice. Both follow the flag carried in the
-cached lobby snapshot, so they render in their last-known state on entry (the button stays
-enabled on the first, uncached load) and flip in place when an event refreshes the lobby.
+**Active-game caps.** A player's simultaneous unfinished games are capped per kind (vs AI / random /
+friends) against the caller's per-tier limits (`Profile.game_limits`), counted client-side from the
+lobby games. The lobby's **New Game** tab is **always enabled** — the lock lives on the per-kind
+start, not the tab. On the **New Game** screen a start whose kind is at its cap renders as an
+**outline** button with a **🔒** (not the filled accent CTA), so it reads as gated rather than ready;
+tapped, it opens a short prompt instead of a game — inside Telegram a **native popup**, elsewhere the
+in-app **Modal**. A **guest** sees a sign-in funnel (Cancel / Sign in → the account screen); a
+signed-in account at its cap sees a plain "finish a current game first" notice (OK). The lock lifts in
+place when the profile is re-fetched after a guest→durable upgrade.
 
 ## Social, account & history surfaces
 

gateway/internal/backendclient/api.go

@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ type ProfileResp struct {
 	// DictVersions is the current dictionary version per game variant, forwarded verbatim
 	// into the Profile payload so an offline-capable client preloads the matching dawg.
 	DictVersions []DictVersion `json:"dict_versions,omitempty"`
+	// GameLimits is the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited), forwarded verbatim
+	// into the Profile payload for the client's per-kind New-Game lock.
+	GameLimits *GameLimitsResp `json:"game_limits,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// GameLimitsResp is the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited) in the profile.
+type GameLimitsResp struct {
+	VsAI    int `json:"vs_ai"`
+	Random  int `json:"random"`
+	Friends int `json:"friends"`
 }
 
 // AdsResp is the post-move interstitial config in the profile: the client-mirrored cooldowns
@@ -170,6 +180,7 @@ type GameResp struct {
 	Seats                []SeatResp `json:"seats"`
 	UnreadChat           bool       `json:"unread_chat"`
 	UnreadMessages       bool       `json:"unread_messages"`
+	Kind                 int        `json:"kind"`
 }
 
 // MoveResultResp is the outcome of a committed move. Rack carries the actor's refilled rack as

gateway/internal/transcode/encode.go

@@ -194,6 +194,15 @@ func encodeProfile(p backendclient.ProfileResp) []byte {
 		fb.AdsInfoAddSuppressed(b, p.Ads.Suppressed)
 		ads = fb.AdsInfoEnd(b)
 	}
+	// The active-game limits table (scalars only), built before Profile is opened.
+	var gameLimits flatbuffers.UOffsetT
+	if p.GameLimits != nil {
+		fb.GameLimitsStart(b)
+		fb.GameLimitsAddVsAi(b, int32(p.GameLimits.VsAI))
+		fb.GameLimitsAddRandom(b, int32(p.GameLimits.Random))
+		fb.GameLimitsAddFriends(b, int32(p.GameLimits.Friends))
+		gameLimits = fb.GameLimitsEnd(b)
+	}
 	fb.ProfileStart(b)
 	fb.ProfileAddUserId(b, uid)
 	fb.ProfileAddDisplayName(b, name)
@@ -219,6 +228,9 @@ func encodeProfile(p backendclient.ProfileResp) []byte {
 	if p.Ads != nil {
 		fb.ProfileAddAds(b, ads)
 	}
+	if p.GameLimits != nil {
+		fb.ProfileAddGameLimits(b, gameLimits)
+	}
 	b.Finish(fb.ProfileEnd(b))
 	return b.FinishedBytes()
 }
@@ -624,6 +636,7 @@ func toWireGame(g backendclient.GameResp) wire.GameView {
 		LastActivityUnix:     g.LastActivityUnix,
 		UnreadChat:           g.UnreadChat,
 		UnreadMessages:       g.UnreadMessages,
+		Kind:                 g.Kind,
 	}
 }
 

gateway/internal/transcode/transcode_gamelimits_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package transcode_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	"scrabble/gateway/internal/transcode"
+	fb "scrabble/pkg/fbs/scrabblefb"
+)
+
+// TestProfileGetEncodesGameLimits verifies the gateway forwards the backend's per-kind active-game
+// caps into the Profile payload — the caps the client's New-Game lock reads. The encode is not
+// exercised by the mock e2e (it bypasses the codec), so a dropped field would only surface here.
+func TestProfileGetEncodesGameLimits(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, cleanup := fakeBackend(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method != http.MethodGet || r.URL.Path != "/api/v1/user/profile" {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected %s %q", r.Method, r.URL.Path)
+		}
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"user_id":"u-1","display_name":"Kaya","preferred_language":"en",` +
+			`"game_limits":{"vs_ai":1,"random":1,"friends":0}}`))
+	})
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	reg := transcode.NewRegistry(backend, nil)
+	op, ok := reg.Lookup(transcode.MsgProfileGet)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("profile.get not registered")
+	}
+	payload, err := op.Handler(context.Background(), transcode.Request{UserID: "u-1"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("handler: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	gl := fb.GetRootAsProfile(payload, 0).GameLimits(nil)
+	if gl == nil {
+		t.Fatal("profile carries no game_limits block")
+	}
+	if gl.VsAi() != 1 || gl.Random() != 1 || gl.Friends() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("game limits = %d/%d/%d, want 1/1/0", gl.VsAi(), gl.Random(), gl.Friends())
+	}
+}
+
+// TestProfileGetNoGameLimits verifies a profile without a game_limits block encodes none (the
+// backend omits it only when the limits config is unwired; normally the block is present).
+func TestProfileGetNoGameLimits(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, cleanup := fakeBackend(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"user_id":"u-1","display_name":"Kaya","preferred_language":"en"}`))
+	})
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	reg := transcode.NewRegistry(backend, nil)
+	op, _ := reg.Lookup(transcode.MsgProfileGet)
+	payload, err := op.Handler(context.Background(), transcode.Request{UserID: "u-1"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("handler: %v", err)
+	}
+	if p := fb.GetRootAsProfile(payload, 0); p.GameLimits(nil) != nil {
+		t.Error("profile without a game_limits block unexpectedly carries one")
+	}
+}

pkg/fbs/scrabble.fbs

@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ table GameView {
   // message (not just a nudge). With unread_chat it colours the badge — both set is the regular
   // badge, unread_chat alone is the softer nudge-only badge.
   unread_messages:bool;
+  // kind is the game's origin for the active-game limits: 0 unknown (a pre-existing game, never
+  // gated), 1 vs_ai, 2 random, 3 friends. The lobby counts active games per kind against the
+  // caller's per-kind limits (Profile.game_limits) to lock a capped New-Game start (added
+  // trailing — backward-compatible).
+  kind:int;
 }
 
 // MoveRecord is one decoded move (a committed play, or a hint preview).
@@ -267,6 +272,10 @@ table Profile {
   // ads carries the post-move interstitial config (cooldowns + suppressed) for the client-mirrored
   // gate (added trailing — backward-compatible).
   ads:AdsInfo;
+  // game_limits carries the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited); the client
+  // counts its active games per kind from the lobby and locks a capped New-Game start (added
+  // trailing — backward-compatible).
+  game_limits:GameLimits;
 }
 
 // AdsInfo is the post-move interstitial config: the client-mirrored cooldowns (seconds) and whether
@@ -278,6 +287,15 @@ table AdsInfo {
   suppressed:bool;
 }
 
+// GameLimits is the caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited), resolved to the
+// guest or durable tier server-side. It rides Profile.game_limits for the client's per-kind
+// New-Game lock.
+table GameLimits {
+  vs_ai:int;
+  random:int;
+  friends:int;
+}
+
 // BlockStatus reports the caller's current manual block. The UI fetches it after any operation
 // returns the "account_blocked" result code, then replaces every screen with the terminal blocked
 // screen and stops all push/poll. permanent is false for a temporary block; until is an RFC3339

pkg/fbs/scrabblefb/GameLimits.go

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+// Code generated by the FlatBuffers compiler. DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package scrabblefb
+
+import (
+	flatbuffers "github.com/google/flatbuffers/go"
+)
+
+type GameLimits struct {
+	_tab flatbuffers.Table
+}
+
+func GetRootAsGameLimits(buf []byte, offset flatbuffers.UOffsetT) *GameLimits {
+	n := flatbuffers.GetUOffsetT(buf[offset:])
+	x := &GameLimits{}
+	x.Init(buf, n+offset)
+	return x
+}
+
+func FinishGameLimitsBuffer(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, offset flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
+	builder.Finish(offset)
+}
+
+func GetSizePrefixedRootAsGameLimits(buf []byte, offset flatbuffers.UOffsetT) *GameLimits {
+	n := flatbuffers.GetUOffsetT(buf[offset+flatbuffers.SizeUint32:])
+	x := &GameLimits{}
+	x.Init(buf, n+offset+flatbuffers.SizeUint32)
+	return x
+}
+
+func FinishSizePrefixedGameLimitsBuffer(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, offset flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
+	builder.FinishSizePrefixed(offset)
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) Init(buf []byte, i flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
+	rcv._tab.Bytes = buf
+	rcv._tab.Pos = i
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) Table() flatbuffers.Table {
+	return rcv._tab
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) VsAi() int32 {
+	o := flatbuffers.UOffsetT(rcv._tab.Offset(4))
+	if o != 0 {
+		return rcv._tab.GetInt32(o + rcv._tab.Pos)
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) MutateVsAi(n int32) bool {
+	return rcv._tab.MutateInt32Slot(4, n)
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) Random() int32 {
+	o := flatbuffers.UOffsetT(rcv._tab.Offset(6))
+	if o != 0 {
+		return rcv._tab.GetInt32(o + rcv._tab.Pos)
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) MutateRandom(n int32) bool {
+	return rcv._tab.MutateInt32Slot(6, n)
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) Friends() int32 {
+	o := flatbuffers.UOffsetT(rcv._tab.Offset(8))
+	if o != 0 {
+		return rcv._tab.GetInt32(o + rcv._tab.Pos)
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameLimits) MutateFriends(n int32) bool {
+	return rcv._tab.MutateInt32Slot(8, n)
+}
+
+func GameLimitsStart(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) {
+	builder.StartObject(3)
+}
+func GameLimitsAddVsAi(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, vsAi int32) {
+	builder.PrependInt32Slot(0, vsAi, 0)
+}
+func GameLimitsAddRandom(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, random int32) {
+	builder.PrependInt32Slot(1, random, 0)
+}
+func GameLimitsAddFriends(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, friends int32) {
+	builder.PrependInt32Slot(2, friends, 0)
+}
+func GameLimitsEnd(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) flatbuffers.UOffsetT {
+	return builder.EndObject()
+}

pkg/fbs/scrabblefb/GameView.go

@@ -209,8 +209,20 @@ func (rcv *GameView) MutateUnreadMessages(n bool) bool {
 	return rcv._tab.MutateBoolSlot(32, n)
 }
 
+func (rcv *GameView) Kind() int32 {
+	o := flatbuffers.UOffsetT(rcv._tab.Offset(34))
+	if o != 0 {
+		return rcv._tab.GetInt32(o + rcv._tab.Pos)
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+func (rcv *GameView) MutateKind(n int32) bool {
+	return rcv._tab.MutateInt32Slot(34, n)
+}
+
 func GameViewStart(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) {
-	builder.StartObject(15)
+	builder.StartObject(16)
 }
 func GameViewAddId(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, id flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
 	builder.PrependUOffsetTSlot(0, flatbuffers.UOffsetT(id), 0)
@@ -260,6 +272,9 @@ func GameViewAddUnreadChat(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, unreadChat bool) {
 func GameViewAddUnreadMessages(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, unreadMessages bool) {
 	builder.PrependBoolSlot(14, unreadMessages, false)
 }
+func GameViewAddKind(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, kind int32) {
+	builder.PrependInt32Slot(15, kind, 0)
+}
 func GameViewEnd(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) flatbuffers.UOffsetT {
 	return builder.EndObject()
 }

pkg/fbs/scrabblefb/Profile.go

@@ -244,8 +244,21 @@ func (rcv *Profile) Ads(obj *AdsInfo) *AdsInfo {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (rcv *Profile) GameLimits(obj *GameLimits) *GameLimits {
+	o := flatbuffers.UOffsetT(rcv._tab.Offset(40))
+	if o != 0 {
+		x := rcv._tab.Indirect(o + rcv._tab.Pos)
+		if obj == nil {
+			obj = new(GameLimits)
+		}
+		obj.Init(rcv._tab.Bytes, x)
+		return obj
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func ProfileStart(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) {
-	builder.StartObject(18)
+	builder.StartObject(19)
 }
 func ProfileAddUserId(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, userId flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
 	builder.PrependUOffsetTSlot(0, flatbuffers.UOffsetT(userId), 0)
@@ -307,6 +320,9 @@ func ProfileStartDictVersionsVector(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, numElems int)
 func ProfileAddAds(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, ads flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
 	builder.PrependUOffsetTSlot(17, flatbuffers.UOffsetT(ads), 0)
 }
+func ProfileAddGameLimits(builder *flatbuffers.Builder, gameLimits flatbuffers.UOffsetT) {
+	builder.PrependUOffsetTSlot(18, flatbuffers.UOffsetT(gameLimits), 0)
+}
 func ProfileEnd(builder *flatbuffers.Builder) flatbuffers.UOffsetT {
 	return builder.EndObject()
 }

pkg/wire/build.go

@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ type GameView struct {
 	// UnreadMessages is a per-viewer flag: at least one unread entry is a real message (not just
 	// a nudge), so the badge can be coloured apart from the nudge-only case.
 	UnreadMessages bool
+	// Kind is the game's origin for the active-game limits: 0 unknown (a pre-existing game), 1 vs_ai,
+	// 2 random, 3 friends. The lobby counts active games per kind to lock a capped New-Game start.
+	Kind int
 }
 
 // TileRecord is one tile in a decoded MoveRecord (the concrete letter, "?" for a blank
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ func BuildGameView(b *flatbuffers.Builder, g GameView) flatbuffers.UOffsetT {
 	fb.GameViewAddVsAi(b, g.VsAI)
 	fb.GameViewAddUnreadChat(b, g.UnreadChat)
 	fb.GameViewAddUnreadMessages(b, g.UnreadMessages)
+	fb.GameViewAddKind(b, int32(g.Kind))
 	return fb.GameViewEnd(b)
 }
 

ui/e2e/gamelimit.spec.ts

@@ -1,31 +1,40 @@
 import { expect, test } from './fixtures';
 
-// The simultaneous quick-game cap. When the backend reports the player is at the limit
-// (games.list at_game_limit), the lobby disables the "New Game" tab and shows a plain,
-// low-emphasis notice under the lists; when it clears, the button re-enables and the
-// notice goes. Driven by the mock transport's __mock.setGameLimit seam (no backend), which
-// also nudges the lobby to re-fetch (the lobby refreshes on any live event).
+// The active-game limit lock on the New Game screen. When a start's kind is at the caller's per-kind
+// cap (Profile.game_limits), the start button shows a 🔒 and opens a funnel modal instead of a game;
+// when the cap lifts (the profile refetch a guest→durable upgrade would trigger), the lock clears and
+// the button starts a game again. Driven by the mock's __mock.setGameLimits seam (no backend). The
+// native Telegram popup path is verified on the contour; here the cross-platform in-app modal shows
+// (the mock profile is a durable account, so it is the "finish a current game first" notice).
 
-test('lobby: New Game disables and a notice shows at the simultaneous-game limit', async ({ page }) => {
+type Limits = { vsAi: number; random: number; friends: number };
+function setLimits(l: Limits) {
+  (window as unknown as { __mock: { setGameLimits(l: Limits): void } }).__mock.setGameLimits(l);
+}
+
+test('new game: a start locks at its per-kind cap and the funnel modal opens', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto('/');
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: /guest/i }).click();
 
-  // Below the limit: the New Game tab is enabled and no notice is shown.
-  const newGame = page.getByRole('button', { name: /🎲/ });
-  await expect(newGame).toBeEnabled();
-  await expect(page.getByText(/reached the simultaneous games limit/i)).toHaveCount(0);
+  // The New Game button always opens the screen now — the per-kind lock lives on the start button.
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /🎲/ }).click();
 
-  // Reach the limit: the button greys out (disabled) and the notice appears under the lists.
-  await page.evaluate(() =>
-    (window as unknown as { __mock: { setGameLimit(v: boolean): void } }).__mock.setGameLimit(true),
-  );
-  await expect(newGame).toBeDisabled();
-  await expect(page.getByText(/reached the simultaneous games limit/i)).toBeVisible();
+  const start = page.getByRole('button', { name: /start game/i });
+  await expect(start).not.toContainText('🔒');
 
-  // Drop back below the limit (a game finished): the button re-enables and the notice clears.
-  await page.evaluate(() =>
-    (window as unknown as { __mock: { setGameLimit(v: boolean): void } }).__mock.setGameLimit(false),
-  );
-  await expect(newGame).toBeEnabled();
-  await expect(page.getByText(/reached the simultaneous games limit/i)).toHaveCount(0);
+  // Cap every kind: the AI start (the default opponent) locks.
+  await page.evaluate(setLimits, { vsAi: 0, random: 0, friends: 0 });
+  await expect(start).toContainText('🔒');
+
+  // Tapping the locked start opens the modal instead of a game, and does not navigate away.
+  await start.click();
+  const notice = page.getByText(/reached the limit of simultaneous games/i);
+  await expect(notice).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/new$/);
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /^ok$/i }).click();
+  await expect(notice).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // Lift the cap (the same profile-refetch path a registration takes): the lock clears.
+  await page.evaluate(setLimits, { vsAi: 10, random: 10, friends: 10 });
+  await expect(start).not.toContainText('🔒');
 });

ui/src/components/GameLimitModal.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
+  import { insideTelegram, telegramDialogsAvailable, telegramShowPopup } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import { LOGIN_BUTTON_ID, gameLimitGuestPopup, gameLimitDurablePopup } from '../lib/nativedialogs';
+  import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
+
+  // The New-Game screen raises this when the player taps a start whose kind is at its cap. guest
+  // picks the message: a sign-in funnel (a guest plays more by registering) vs a durable account's
+  // plain "finish a current game first" notice. onclose dismisses; onlogin routes a guest to sign-in.
+  let { open, guest, onclose, onlogin }: { open: boolean; guest: boolean; onclose: () => void; onlogin: () => void } = $props();
+
+  const title = $derived(guest ? t('new.limitGuestTitle') : t('new.limitDurableTitle'));
+  const body = $derived(guest ? t('new.limitGuestBody') : t('new.limitDurableBody'));
+
+  // Native path: inside the Mini App with native dialogs, present Telegram's own popup instead of
+  // the in-app modal (evaluated at fire time — the SDK loads after mount). A guest popup's login
+  // button routes to sign-in; any other dismissal closes. The message here is a plain notice with
+  // no gesture-gated follow-up, so a native popup is safe (unlike share/clipboard flows).
+  let shown = false;
+  $effect(() => {
+    if (open && !shown && insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable()) {
+      shown = true;
+      const params = guest
+        ? gameLimitGuestPopup(title, body, t('common.cancel'), t('new.limitLogin'))
+        : gameLimitDurablePopup(title, body, t('common.ok'));
+      void telegramShowPopup(params).then((id) => (guest && id === LOGIN_BUTTON_ID ? onlogin() : onclose()));
+    } else if (!open) {
+      shown = false;
+    }
+  });
+</script>
+
+{#if open && !(insideTelegram() && telegramDialogsAvailable())}
+  <Modal {title} onclose={onclose}>
+    <p class="msg">{body}</p>
+    <div class="actions">
+      {#if guest}
+        <button class="cancel" onclick={onclose}>{t('common.cancel')}</button>
+        <button class="primary" onclick={onlogin}>{t('new.limitLogin')}</button>
+      {:else}
+        <button class="primary" onclick={onclose}>{t('common.ok')}</button>
+      {/if}
+    </div>
+  </Modal>
+{/if}
+
+<style>
+  .msg {
+    margin: 0 0 16px;
+    line-height: 1.5;
+  }
+  .actions {
+    display: flex;
+    gap: 8px;
+  }
+  .actions button {
+    flex: 1;
+    padding: 10px 12px;
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+  }
+  .cancel {
+    background: transparent;
+    color: var(--accent);
+  }
+  .primary {
+    background: var(--accent);
+    color: var(--accent-text);
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/gen/fbs/scrabblefb.ts

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export { FriendCode } from './scrabblefb/friend-code.js';
 export { FriendList } from './scrabblefb/friend-list.js';
 export { FriendRespondRequest } from './scrabblefb/friend-respond-request.js';
 export { GameActionRequest } from './scrabblefb/game-action-request.js';
+export { GameLimits } from './scrabblefb/game-limits.js';
 export { GameList } from './scrabblefb/game-list.js';
 export { GameOverEvent } from './scrabblefb/game-over-event.js';
 export { GameView } from './scrabblefb/game-view.js';

ui/src/gen/fbs/scrabblefb/game-limits.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// automatically generated by the FlatBuffers compiler, do not modify
+
+import * as flatbuffers from 'flatbuffers';
+
+export class GameLimits {
+  bb: flatbuffers.ByteBuffer|null = null;
+  bb_pos = 0;
+  __init(i:number, bb:flatbuffers.ByteBuffer):GameLimits {
+  this.bb_pos = i;
+  this.bb = bb;
+  return this;
+}
+
+static getRootAsGameLimits(bb:flatbuffers.ByteBuffer, obj?:GameLimits):GameLimits {
+  return (obj || new GameLimits()).__init(bb.readInt32(bb.position()) + bb.position(), bb);
+}
+
+static getSizePrefixedRootAsGameLimits(bb:flatbuffers.ByteBuffer, obj?:GameLimits):GameLimits {
+  bb.setPosition(bb.position() + flatbuffers.SIZE_PREFIX_LENGTH);
+  return (obj || new GameLimits()).__init(bb.readInt32(bb.position()) + bb.position(), bb);
+}
+
+vsAi():number {
+  const offset = this.bb!.__offset(this.bb_pos, 4);
+  return offset ? this.bb!.readInt32(this.bb_pos + offset) : 0;
+}
+
+random():number {
+  const offset = this.bb!.__offset(this.bb_pos, 6);
+  return offset ? this.bb!.readInt32(this.bb_pos + offset) : 0;
+}
+
+friends():number {
+  const offset = this.bb!.__offset(this.bb_pos, 8);
+  return offset ? this.bb!.readInt32(this.bb_pos + offset) : 0;
+}
+
+static startGameLimits(builder:flatbuffers.Builder) {
+  builder.startObject(3);
+}
+
+static addVsAi(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, vsAi:number) {
+  builder.addFieldInt32(0, vsAi, 0);
+}
+
+static addRandom(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, random:number) {
+  builder.addFieldInt32(1, random, 0);
+}
+
+static addFriends(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, friends:number) {
+  builder.addFieldInt32(2, friends, 0);
+}
+
+static endGameLimits(builder:flatbuffers.Builder):flatbuffers.Offset {
+  const offset = builder.endObject();
+  return offset;
+}
+
+static createGameLimits(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, vsAi:number, random:number, friends:number):flatbuffers.Offset {
+  GameLimits.startGameLimits(builder);
+  GameLimits.addVsAi(builder, vsAi);
+  GameLimits.addRandom(builder, random);
+  GameLimits.addFriends(builder, friends);
+  return GameLimits.endGameLimits(builder);
+}
+}

ui/src/gen/fbs/scrabblefb/game-view.ts

@@ -113,8 +113,13 @@ unreadMessages():boolean {
   return offset ? !!this.bb!.readInt8(this.bb_pos + offset) : false;
 }
 
+kind():number {
+  const offset = this.bb!.__offset(this.bb_pos, 34);
+  return offset ? this.bb!.readInt32(this.bb_pos + offset) : 0;
+}
+
 static startGameView(builder:flatbuffers.Builder) {
-  builder.startObject(15);
+  builder.startObject(16);
 }
 
 static addId(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, idOffset:flatbuffers.Offset) {
@@ -189,12 +194,16 @@ static addUnreadMessages(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, unreadMessages:boolean) {
   builder.addFieldInt8(14, +unreadMessages, +false);
 }
 
+static addKind(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, kind:number) {
+  builder.addFieldInt32(15, kind, 0);
+}
+
 static endGameView(builder:flatbuffers.Builder):flatbuffers.Offset {
   const offset = builder.endObject();
   return offset;
 }
 
-static createGameView(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, idOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, variantOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, dictVersionOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, statusOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, players:number, toMove:number, turnTimeoutSecs:number, multipleWordsPerTurn:boolean, moveCount:number, endReasonOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, seatsOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, lastActivityUnix:bigint, vsAi:boolean, unreadChat:boolean, unreadMessages:boolean):flatbuffers.Offset {
+static createGameView(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, idOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, variantOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, dictVersionOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, statusOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, players:number, toMove:number, turnTimeoutSecs:number, multipleWordsPerTurn:boolean, moveCount:number, endReasonOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, seatsOffset:flatbuffers.Offset, lastActivityUnix:bigint, vsAi:boolean, unreadChat:boolean, unreadMessages:boolean, kind:number):flatbuffers.Offset {
   GameView.startGameView(builder);
   GameView.addId(builder, idOffset);
   GameView.addVariant(builder, variantOffset);
@@ -211,6 +220,7 @@ static createGameView(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, idOffset:flatbuffers.Offset,
   GameView.addVsAi(builder, vsAi);
   GameView.addUnreadChat(builder, unreadChat);
   GameView.addUnreadMessages(builder, unreadMessages);
+  GameView.addKind(builder, kind);
   return GameView.endGameView(builder);
 }
 }

ui/src/gen/fbs/scrabblefb/profile.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import * as flatbuffers from 'flatbuffers';
 import { AdsInfo } from '../scrabblefb/ads-info.js';
 import { BannerInfo } from '../scrabblefb/banner-info.js';
 import { DictVersion } from '../scrabblefb/dict-version.js';
+import { GameLimits } from '../scrabblefb/game-limits.js';
 
 
 export class Profile {
@@ -141,8 +142,13 @@ ads(obj?:AdsInfo):AdsInfo|null {
   return offset ? (obj || new AdsInfo()).__init(this.bb!.__indirect(this.bb_pos + offset), this.bb!) : null;
 }
 
+gameLimits(obj?:GameLimits):GameLimits|null {
+  const offset = this.bb!.__offset(this.bb_pos, 40);
+  return offset ? (obj || new GameLimits()).__init(this.bb!.__indirect(this.bb_pos + offset), this.bb!) : null;
+}
+
 static startProfile(builder:flatbuffers.Builder) {
-  builder.startObject(18);
+  builder.startObject(19);
 }
 
 static addUserId(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, userIdOffset:flatbuffers.Offset) {
@@ -241,6 +247,10 @@ static addAds(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, adsOffset:flatbuffers.Offset) {
   builder.addFieldOffset(17, adsOffset, 0);
 }
 
+static addGameLimits(builder:flatbuffers.Builder, gameLimitsOffset:flatbuffers.Offset) {
+  builder.addFieldOffset(18, gameLimitsOffset, 0);
+}
+
 static endProfile(builder:flatbuffers.Builder):flatbuffers.Offset {
   const offset = builder.endObject();
   return offset;

ui/src/lib/codec.test.ts

@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ describe('codec', () => {
     fb.GameView.addLastActivityUnix(b, BigInt(1717000000));
     fb.GameView.addVsAi(b, true);
     fb.GameView.addUnreadChat(b, true);
+    fb.GameView.addKind(b, 2);
     const game = fb.GameView.endGameView(b);
     const games = fb.GameList.createGamesVector(b, [game]);
     fb.GameList.startGameList(b);
@@ -436,6 +437,7 @@ describe('codec', () => {
     expect(gl.games[0].lastActivityUnix).toBe(1717000000);
     expect(gl.games[0].vsAi).toBe(true);
     expect(gl.games[0].unreadChat).toBe(true);
+    expect(gl.games[0].kind).toBe(2);
     expect(gl.atGameLimit).toBe(true);
   });
 
@@ -830,6 +832,26 @@ describe('codec', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('decodes the profile active-game limits (guest tier)', () => {
+    const b = new Builder(64);
+    const uid = b.createString('u-1');
+    const limits = fb.GameLimits.createGameLimits(b, 1, 1, 0);
+    fb.Profile.startProfile(b);
+    fb.Profile.addUserId(b, uid);
+    fb.Profile.addGameLimits(b, limits);
+    b.finish(fb.Profile.endProfile(b));
+    expect(decodeProfile(b.asUint8Array()).gameLimits).toEqual({ vsAi: 1, random: 1, friends: 0 });
+  });
+
+  it('leaves the profile game limits undefined when absent', () => {
+    const b = new Builder(64);
+    const uid = b.createString('u-1');
+    fb.Profile.startProfile(b);
+    fb.Profile.addUserId(b, uid);
+    b.finish(fb.Profile.endProfile(b));
+    expect(decodeProfile(b.asUint8Array()).gameLimits).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it('carries the suppressed flag through the ad config', () => {
     const b = new Builder(64);
     const uid = b.createString('u-1');

ui/src/lib/codec.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import type {
   RobotFriendRequestEntry,
   Banner,
   AdsConfig,
+  GameLimits,
   BannerCampaign,
   BestMove,
   BestMoveTile,
@@ -314,6 +315,7 @@ function decodeGameView(g: fb.GameView): GameView {
     vsAi: g.vsAi(),
     unreadChat: g.unreadChat(),
     unreadMessages: g.unreadMessages(),
+    kind: g.kind(),
     seats,
   };
 }
@@ -467,9 +469,18 @@ export function decodeProfile(buf: Uint8Array): Profile {
     telegramLinked: p.telegramLinked(),
     vkLinked: p.vkLinked(),
     dictVersions: decodeDictVersions(p),
+    gameLimits: decodeGameLimits(p),
   };
 }
 
+// decodeGameLimits projects the caller's tier active-game caps (per kind, -1 = unlimited), or
+// undefined when absent (an old backend); the New-Game screen then applies no lock.
+function decodeGameLimits(p: fb.Profile): GameLimits | undefined {
+  const g = p.gameLimits();
+  if (!g) return undefined;
+  return { vsAi: g.vsAi(), random: g.random(), friends: g.friends() };
+}
+
 // decodeDictVersions reads the profile's per-variant current dictionary versions into a
 // variant-keyed map, so the offline preloader can look up the version for each enabled
 // variant. An entry with an unknown variant or empty version is skipped.
@@ -1137,6 +1148,7 @@ function emptyGame(): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     seats: [],
   };
 }

ui/src/lib/gamecache.test.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ function gameView(id: string): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status: 'active',
     players: 2,
     toMove: 0,

ui/src/lib/gamedelta.test.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ function gameView(moveCount: number, over = false): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status: over ? 'finished' : 'active',
     players: 2,
     toMove: 1,

ui/src/lib/gameimage.test.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ function game(seats: Seat[], over = true): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status: over ? 'finished' : 'active',
     players: seats.length,
     toMove: 0,

ui/src/lib/gamelimits.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { activeByKind, capFor, isKindLocked } from './gamelimits';
+import { GameKind, type GameView, type GameLimits } from './model';
+
+// game builds a minimal GameView for the count: only kind, status and (optionally) hotseat matter.
+function game(kind: number, status: string, extra: Partial<GameView> = {}): GameView {
+  return {
+    id: 'g',
+    variant: 'scrabble_en',
+    dictVersion: '',
+    status,
+    players: 2,
+    toMove: 0,
+    turnTimeoutSecs: 0,
+    multipleWordsPerTurn: true,
+    moveCount: 0,
+    endReason: '',
+    lastActivityUnix: 0,
+    vsAi: false,
+    unreadChat: false,
+    unreadMessages: false,
+    kind,
+    seats: [],
+    ...extra,
+  };
+}
+
+describe('activeByKind', () => {
+  it('counts open+active games per kind, skipping finished, hotseat and untagged (kind 0)', () => {
+    const by = activeByKind([
+      game(GameKind.vsAi, 'active'),
+      game(GameKind.random, 'open'),
+      game(GameKind.random, 'active'),
+      game(GameKind.random, 'finished'), // finished → not counted
+      game(GameKind.vsAi, 'active', { hotseat: true }), // local pass-and-play → not counted
+      game(0, 'active'), // pre-existing / untagged → not counted
+    ]);
+    expect(by[GameKind.vsAi]).toBe(1);
+    expect(by[GameKind.random]).toBe(2);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('capFor', () => {
+  const limits: GameLimits = { vsAi: 1, random: 10, friends: 0 };
+  it('maps each kind to its tier cap; unknown kind and absent limits are unlimited (-1)', () => {
+    expect(capFor(limits, GameKind.vsAi)).toBe(1);
+    expect(capFor(limits, GameKind.random)).toBe(10);
+    expect(capFor(limits, GameKind.friends)).toBe(0);
+    expect(capFor(limits, 0)).toBe(-1);
+    expect(capFor(undefined, GameKind.vsAi)).toBe(-1);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('isKindLocked', () => {
+  const guest: GameLimits = { vsAi: 1, random: 1, friends: 0 };
+  const durable: GameLimits = { vsAi: 10, random: 10, friends: 10 };
+
+  it('locks a guest at the per-kind cap, not another kind', () => {
+    const games = [game(GameKind.vsAi, 'active')];
+    expect(isKindLocked(games, guest, GameKind.vsAi)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isKindLocked(games, guest, GameKind.random)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('a cap of 0 always locks (a guest cannot start friend games)', () => {
+    expect(isKindLocked([], guest, GameKind.friends)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('an unlimited cap (-1) or absent limits never lock', () => {
+    const many = [game(GameKind.random, 'active'), game(GameKind.random, 'active')];
+    expect(isKindLocked(many, { vsAi: -1, random: -1, friends: -1 }, GameKind.random)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isKindLocked(many, undefined, GameKind.random)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('a durable account stays well under its higher cap', () => {
+    expect(isKindLocked([game(GameKind.random, 'active')], durable, GameKind.random)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/gamelimits.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// Client-side active-game limit logic: count the caller's active games per kind and test a kind
+// against the caller's per-tier cap so the New-Game screen can lock a capped start. The server is
+// the source of truth (it refuses a capped create); this only drives the pre-emptive UI lock. Kept
+// pure (no DOM / stores) so it unit-tests in the node environment.
+
+import { GameKind, type GameLimits, type GameView } from './model';
+
+/**
+ * activeByKind counts the caller's active (status open or in-progress) games per kind. Finished
+ * games, local pass-and-play (hotseat) games and untagged games (kind 0, pre-existing) do not
+ * count — matching the server's per-kind cap, which is keyed on games.game_kind for open/active
+ * games only.
+ */
+export function activeByKind(games: GameView[]): Record<number, number> {
+  const out: Record<number, number> = {};
+  for (const g of games) {
+    if (g.hotseat) continue;
+    if (g.kind === 0) continue;
+    if (g.status !== 'active' && g.status !== 'open') continue;
+    out[g.kind] = (out[g.kind] ?? 0) + 1;
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** capFor returns the caller's tier cap for a kind (-1 = unlimited), or -1 when the limits are
+ *  absent (an old backend) — the lock then never applies. */
+export function capFor(limits: GameLimits | undefined, kind: number): number {
+  if (!limits) return -1;
+  switch (kind) {
+    case GameKind.vsAi:
+      return limits.vsAi;
+    case GameKind.random:
+      return limits.random;
+    case GameKind.friends:
+      return limits.friends;
+    default:
+      return -1;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * isKindLocked reports whether the caller has reached its cap for kind, so the New-Game start for
+ * that kind is locked. An unlimited cap (-1) or absent limits never lock; a cap of 0 always locks
+ * (the kind is disabled for the tier).
+ */
+export function isKindLocked(games: GameView[], limits: GameLimits | undefined, kind: number): boolean {
+  const cap = capFor(limits, kind);
+  if (cap < 0) return false;
+  return (activeByKind(games)[kind] ?? 0) >= cap;
+}

ui/src/lib/gateway.ts

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ if (isMock && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
         joinOpponent(): void;
         joinOpponentSilently(): void;
         adminReply(): void;
-        setGameLimit(v: boolean): void;
+        setGameLimits(l: { vsAi: number; random: number; friends: number }): void;
         clearEmail(): void;
         confirmEmailOutOfBand(email: string): void;
         setLocalSeed(seed: string): void;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ if (isMock && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
     joinOpponent: () => (gateway as MockGateway).joinPendingOpponent(),
     joinOpponentSilently: () => (gateway as MockGateway).joinPendingOpponentSilently(),
     adminReply: () => (gateway as MockGateway).mockAdminReply(),
-    setGameLimit: (v: boolean) => (gateway as MockGateway).setGameLimit(v),
+    setGameLimits: (l: { vsAi: number; random: number; friends: number }) => (gateway as MockGateway).setGameLimits(l),
     clearEmail: () => (gateway as MockGateway).mockClearEmail(),
     confirmEmailOutOfBand: (email: string) => (gateway as MockGateway).mockConfirmEmailOutOfBand(email),
     // Pin the next local game's bag seed, so the offline e2e deals a known rack (a bigint as a

ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts

@@ -379,6 +379,11 @@ export const en = {
   'new.multipleWordsPerTurn': 'Multiple words per turn',
   'new.start': 'Start game',
   'new.invited': 'Invitation sent.',
+  'new.limitGuestTitle': 'More games?',
+  'new.limitGuestBody': 'Sign in or create an account to play several games at once.',
+  'new.limitDurableTitle': 'Game limit',
+  'new.limitDurableBody': 'You have reached the limit of simultaneous games — finish a current one first.',
+  'new.limitLogin': 'Sign in',
   'new.noFriends': 'Add friends first to invite them.',
   'new.opponentAI': 'AI',
   'new.opponentRandom': 'Random player',

ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts

@@ -379,6 +379,11 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'new.multipleWordsPerTurn': 'Несколько слов за ход',
   'new.start': 'Начать игру',
   'new.invited': 'Приглашение отправлено.',
+  'new.limitGuestTitle': 'Больше партий?',
+  'new.limitGuestBody': 'Войдите или создайте учётную запись, чтобы играть несколько партий одновременно.',
+  'new.limitDurableTitle': 'Лимит игр',
+  'new.limitDurableBody': 'Вы достигли лимита одновременных игр, сначала завершите текущие.',
+  'new.limitLogin': 'Вход',
   'new.noFriends': 'Сначала добавьте друзей, чтобы пригласить их.',
   'new.opponentAI': 'ИИ',
   'new.opponentRandom': 'Случайный игрок',

ui/src/lib/lobbycache.test.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function gameView(id: string, status: GameView['status'] = 'active', toMove = 0)
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status,
     players: 2,
     toMove,
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ beforeEach(() => clearLobby());
 
 describe('patchLobbyGame', () => {
   it('replaces the matching game by id and leaves the others untouched', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a', 'active', 0), gameView('b', 'active', 0)], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a', 'active', 0), gameView('b', 'active', 0)], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
     // The player's own move flipped game "a" to the opponent's turn.
     patchLobbyGame(gameView('a', 'active', 1));
     const snap = getLobby(false);
@@ -54,14 +55,14 @@ describe('patchLobbyGame', () => {
 
   it('preserves invitations and incoming when patching a game', () => {
     const incoming: AccountRef[] = [{ accountId: 'u9', displayName: 'Nine' }];
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a')], invitations: [], incoming, atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a')], invitations: [], incoming, offline: false });
     patchLobbyGame(gameView('a', 'finished'));
     expect(getLobby(false)?.incoming).toEqual(incoming);
     expect(getLobby(false)?.games[0].status).toBe('finished');
   });
 
   it('adds the game when it is not yet in the cached lobby (a game started elsewhere)', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a')], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a')], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
     patchLobbyGame(gameView('z', 'active'));
     // Order is irrelevant — the lobby re-groups and re-sorts on render — so assert membership.
     expect(getLobby(false)?.games.map((g) => g.id).sort()).toEqual(['a', 'z']);
@@ -74,29 +75,21 @@ describe('patchLobbyGame', () => {
 
   it('does not mutate the previous snapshot array', () => {
     const games = [gameView('a', 'active', 0)];
-    setLobby({ games, invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games, invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
     patchLobbyGame(gameView('a', 'active', 1));
     expect(games[0].toMove).toBe(0); // the original array/object is left intact
   });
-
-  it('preserves the at-game-limit flag across a game patch', () => {
-    // A finished-game patch arriving while the lobby is unmounted must not drop the flag —
-    // the lobby renders the "New Game" button from the cached snapshot before the refresh.
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('a')], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: true, offline: false });
-    patchLobbyGame(gameView('a', 'finished'));
-    expect(getLobby(false)?.atGameLimit).toBe(true);
-  });
 });
 
 describe('patchLobbyInvitation', () => {
   it('adds a new pending invitation to the cached lobby', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
     patchLobbyInvitation(invitation('i1', 'pending'));
     expect(getLobby(false)?.invitations.map((x) => x.id)).toEqual(['i1']);
   });
 
   it('replaces a pending invitation already in the list (e.g. an updated response)', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i1', 'pending'), invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i1', 'pending'), invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], offline: false });
     const updated = { ...invitation('i1', 'pending'), turnTimeoutSecs: 999 };
     patchLobbyInvitation(updated);
     expect(getLobby(false)?.invitations.map((x) => x.id)).toEqual(['i1', 'i2']);
@@ -105,14 +98,14 @@ describe('patchLobbyInvitation', () => {
 
   it('removes an invitation that reached a terminal status', () => {
     for (const terminal of ['declined', 'cancelled', 'started', 'expired']) {
-      setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i1', 'pending'), invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+      setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i1', 'pending'), invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], offline: false });
       patchLobbyInvitation(invitation('i1', terminal));
       expect(getLobby(false)?.invitations.map((x) => x.id)).toEqual(['i2']);
     }
   });
 
   it('is a no-op for a terminal invitation that is not in the list', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [], invitations: [invitation('i2', 'pending')], incoming: [], offline: false });
     patchLobbyInvitation(invitation('i1', 'declined'));
     expect(getLobby(false)?.invitations.map((x) => x.id)).toEqual(['i2']);
   });
@@ -124,7 +117,7 @@ describe('patchLobbyInvitation', () => {
 
   it('preserves games and incoming when patching an invitation', () => {
     const incoming: AccountRef[] = [{ accountId: 'u9', displayName: 'Nine' }];
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('g1')], invitations: [], incoming, atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('g1')], invitations: [], incoming, offline: false });
     patchLobbyInvitation(invitation('i1', 'pending'));
     expect(getLobby(false)?.games.map((g) => g.id)).toEqual(['g1']);
     expect(getLobby(false)?.incoming).toEqual(incoming);
@@ -133,15 +126,15 @@ describe('patchLobbyInvitation', () => {
 
 describe('getLobby is mode-aware (a mode flip must not render the other mode’s games)', () => {
   it('returns the snapshot only for the mode it was stored under', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('online1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('online1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
     expect(getLobby(false)?.games.map((g) => g.id)).toEqual(['online1']);
     // Reading it as the OTHER (offline) mode must not surface the online snapshot.
     expect(getLobby(true)).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('replaces the snapshot when the mode changes, so the stale mode is dropped', () => {
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('online1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: false });
-    setLobby({ games: [gameView('local1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], atGameLimit: false, offline: true });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('online1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: false });
+    setLobby({ games: [gameView('local1')], invitations: [], incoming: [], offline: true });
     expect(getLobby(false)).toBeNull();
     expect(getLobby(true)?.games.map((g) => g.id)).toEqual(['local1']);
   });

ui/src/lib/lobbycache.ts

@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ interface LobbySnapshot {
   games: GameView[];
   invitations: Invitation[];
   incoming: AccountRef[];
-  // atGameLimit rides the snapshot so the lobby renders the "New Game" button in its last
-  // known enabled/disabled state instantly (no flicker), then refreshes it in the background.
-  atGameLimit: boolean;
   // Which mode the snapshot belongs to (offline = device-local games, online = server games). The
   // lobby renders it instantly only when it matches the current mode, so a mode flip never flashes —
   // or lets the player open — the other mode's games before the background refresh replaces them.

ui/src/lib/lobbysort.test.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ function game(id: string, status: GameView['status'], toMove: number, lastActivi
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status,
     players: 2,
     toMove,

ui/src/lib/localgame/source.ts

@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ export class LocalSource implements GameLoopSource {
       hotseat: !!record.hotseat,
       unreadChat: false,
       unreadMessages: false,
+      kind: 0,
       seats,
     };
   }

ui/src/lib/mock/client.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import type {
   MoveResult,
   OutgoingList,
   Profile,
+  GameLimits,
   ProfileUpdate,
   PushEvent,
   Session,
@@ -105,8 +106,6 @@ export class MockGateway implements GatewayClient {
   private feedbackReplyUnread = false;
   // The most recently opened auto-match game still awaiting an opponent, for the e2e join hook.
   private openGameId: string | null = null;
-  // gameLimit forces the lobby's at_game_limit flag for the e2e (window.__mock.setGameLimit).
-  private gameLimit = false;
   private friends: AccountRef[] = MOCK_FRIENDS.map((f) => ({ ...f }));
   private incoming: AccountRef[] = MOCK_INCOMING.map((f) => ({ ...f }));
   private outgoing: AccountRef[] = [];
@@ -267,7 +266,7 @@ export class MockGateway implements GatewayClient {
   async gamesList(): Promise<GameList> {
     return {
       games: [...this.games.values()].map((g) => structuredClone(g.view)),
-      atGameLimit: this.gameLimit,
+      atGameLimit: false,
     };
   }
 
@@ -293,6 +292,7 @@ export class MockGateway implements GatewayClient {
           vsAi: true,
           unreadChat: false,
           unreadMessages: false,
+          kind: 1,
           seats: [
             { seat: 0, accountId: ME, displayName: 'You', score: 0, hintsUsed: 0, isWinner: false },
             { seat: 1, accountId: 'robot', displayName: 'Robot', score: 0, hintsUsed: 0, isWinner: false },
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ export class MockGateway implements GatewayClient {
         vsAi: false,
         unreadChat: false,
         unreadMessages: false,
+        kind: 2,
         seats: [
           { seat: 0, accountId: ME, displayName: 'You', score: 0, hintsUsed: 0, isWinner: false },
           { seat: 1, accountId: '', displayName: '', score: 0, hintsUsed: 0, isWinner: false },
@@ -377,13 +378,13 @@ export class MockGateway implements GatewayClient {
     if (this.openGameId) this.seatOpponent(this.openGameId);
   }
 
-  // setGameLimit forces the lobby's at_game_limit flag (the e2e hook
-  // window.__mock.setGameLimit), then nudges the lobby to re-fetch games.list so the
-  // "New Game" button and the notice update in place. The lobby refetches on any
-  // non-heartbeat event; an unrecognised notify sub triggers only that refetch.
-  setGameLimit(v: boolean): void {
-    this.gameLimit = v;
-    this.emit({ kind: 'notify', sub: 'game_limit' });
+  // setGameLimits overrides the profile's per-kind active-game caps (the e2e hook
+  // window.__mock.setGameLimits), then emits a profile notify so the app re-fetches the profile and
+  // the New-Game screen's per-kind lock recomputes in place — the same path a guest→durable upgrade
+  // takes to lift the lock.
+  setGameLimits(l: GameLimits): void {
+    this.profile.gameLimits = { ...l };
+    this.emit({ kind: 'notify', sub: 'profile' });
   }
 
   async lobbyPoll(): Promise<MatchResult> {

ui/src/lib/mock/data.ts

@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ export const PROFILE: Profile = {
   dictVersions: { erudit_ru: 'v1.3.0', scrabble_ru: 'v1.3.0', scrabble_en: 'v1.3.0' },
   // Post-move interstitial config (short cooldowns so the mock stub is exercisable); not suppressed.
   ads: { cooldownGlobalS: 300, cooldownVsAiS: 1800, cooldownHintS: 60, suppressed: false },
+  // The durable tier's per-kind active-game caps (the seeded defaults); the e2e lowers them through
+  // window.__mock.setGameLimits to exercise the New-Game lock.
+  gameLimits: { vsAi: 10, random: 10, friends: 10 },
 };
 
 // Seed social/account data for the mock (pnpm start + Playwright). The mock profile
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ function activeGame(): MockGame {
       vsAi: false,
       unreadChat: false,
       unreadMessages: false,
+      kind: 2,
       status: 'active',
       players: 2,
       toMove: 0,
@@ -227,6 +231,7 @@ function finishedG2(): MockGame {
       vsAi: false,
       unreadChat: false,
       unreadMessages: false,
+      kind: 2,
       status: 'finished',
       players: 2,
       toMove: 0,
@@ -266,6 +271,7 @@ function finishedG3(): MockGame {
       vsAi: false,
       unreadChat: false,
       unreadMessages: false,
+      kind: 2,
       status: 'finished',
       players: 2,
       toMove: 0,

ui/src/lib/model.ts

@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ export interface GameView {
    *  badge can be coloured apart from the nudge-only case. Same REST-seeded lifecycle as
    *  unreadChat; the live-event GameView leaves it false. */
   unreadMessages: boolean;
+  /** The game's origin for the active-game limits: 0 unknown (a pre-existing game, never gated),
+   *  1 vs_ai, 2 random, 3 friends. The lobby counts active games per kind against the caller's
+   *  per-kind limits (Profile.gameLimits) to lock a capped New-Game start. Local/offline games
+   *  leave it 0 (they never count toward the online limits). */
+  kind: number;
   seats: Seat[];
 }
 
@@ -234,6 +239,21 @@ export interface Profile {
    *  offline-capable PWA reads it to preload the matching dawg for each enabled variant off
    *  this cold-start response. Empty only in a degenerate deployment with no resident dictionary. */
   dictVersions: Partial<Record<Variant, string>>;
+  /** The caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited); the New-Game screen counts the
+   *  player's active games per kind from the lobby and locks a capped start. Absent from an old
+   *  backend (then no lock applies). */
+  gameLimits?: GameLimits;
+}
+
+/** GameKind labels the game_kind wire values for the active-game limits. */
+export const GameKind = { vsAi: 1, random: 2, friends: 3 } as const;
+
+/** The caller's tier active-game caps per kind (-1 = unlimited), resolved to the guest or durable
+ *  tier server-side. The New-Game screen locks a start whose kind is at its cap. */
+export interface GameLimits {
+  vsAi: number;
+  random: number;
+  friends: number;
 }
 
 /** The post-move interstitial-ad config for the client-mirrored gate: the cooldowns (seconds) and

ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { BOT_BUTTON_ID, botInfoPopup } from './nativedialogs';
+import { BOT_BUTTON_ID, LOGIN_BUTTON_ID, botInfoPopup, gameLimitGuestPopup, gameLimitDurablePopup } from './nativedialogs';
 
 describe('botInfoPopup', () => {
   it('inlines the bot handle and adds an open-bot button', () => {
@@ -23,3 +23,22 @@ describe('botInfoPopup', () => {
     expect(p.message).toBe('Welcome!\n\nUse @b now.');
   });
 });
+
+describe('gameLimitGuestPopup', () => {
+  it('offers a cancel and a login button (the sign-in funnel)', () => {
+    const p = gameLimitGuestPopup('More games?', 'Sign in to play more.', 'Cancel', 'Sign in');
+    expect(p.title).toBe('More games?');
+    expect(p.message).toBe('Sign in to play more.');
+    expect(p.buttons).toEqual([
+      { id: 'cancel', text: 'Cancel' },
+      { id: LOGIN_BUTTON_ID, text: 'Sign in' },
+    ]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('gameLimitDurablePopup', () => {
+  it('is an OK-only notice', () => {
+    const p = gameLimitDurablePopup('Game limit', 'Finish a current game first.', 'OK');
+    expect(p.buttons).toEqual([{ id: 'ok', text: 'OK' }]);
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/nativedialogs.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,21 @@ import type { TelegramPopupParams } from './telegram';
 /** BOT_BUTTON_ID is the showPopup button id that means "open the bot chat". */
 export const BOT_BUTTON_ID = 'bot';
 
+/** LOGIN_BUTTON_ID is the game-limit popup button that opens the sign-in funnel. */
+export const LOGIN_BUTTON_ID = 'login';
+
+/** gameLimitGuestPopup builds the native popup that nudges a guest to sign in when a New-Game start
+ *  is capped for guests: a cancel button and a login button (the sign-in funnel). */
+export function gameLimitGuestPopup(title: string, message: string, cancelText: string, loginText: string): TelegramPopupParams {
+  return { title, message, buttons: [{ id: 'cancel', text: cancelText }, { id: LOGIN_BUTTON_ID, text: loginText }] };
+}
+
+/** gameLimitDurablePopup builds the native notice shown to a durable account at its per-kind cap:
+ *  an OK button only (finish a current game first). */
+export function gameLimitDurablePopup(title: string, message: string, okText: string): TelegramPopupParams {
+  return { title, message, buttons: [{ id: 'ok', text: okText }] };
+}
+
 /**
  * botInfoPopup builds the native popup for a deep-link info modal: the message with the `{bot}`
  * token replaced by the `@username` as plain text (a native popup has no inline link, unlike the

ui/src/lib/preload.test.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ function gameView(id: string, status: GameView['status'] = 'active'): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status,
     players: 2,
     toMove: 0,

ui/src/lib/result.test.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ function game(seats: Seat[], status = 'finished', toMove = 0): GameView {
     vsAi: false,
     unreadChat: false,
     unreadMessages: false,
+    kind: 0,
     status,
     players: seats.length,
     toMove,

ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte

@@ -23,12 +23,6 @@
   let games = $state<GameView[]>([]);
   let invitations = $state<Invitation[]>([]);
   let incoming = $state<AccountRef[]>([]);
-  // True when the player has reached the simultaneous quick-game cap: the "New Game" tab is
-  // disabled and a notice shows under the lists. It rides the games.list response (which the
-  // lobby refetches on entry and on every game event) and the cached snapshot, so it renders
-  // in its last known state instantly and refreshes in the background. Optimistic default
-  // (enabled) for the very first, uncached load; the backend gate is the authority.
-  let atGameLimit = $state(false);
 
   const guest = $derived(app.profile?.isGuest ?? true);
   // The lobby ⚙️ badge is the shared count: incoming friend requests plus an awaiting
@@ -51,9 +45,8 @@
       games = local;
       invitations = [];
       incoming = [];
-      atGameLimit = false;
       app.notifications = 0;
-      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, atGameLimit, offline: offlineMode.active });
+      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, offline: offlineMode.active });
       app.lobbyReady = true;
       return;
     }
@@ -64,7 +57,6 @@
       // Seed the per-game unread badges from the authoritative list. The live stream only raises
       // unread (it never seeds it from a GameView), so a persisted unread survives a reload here.
       for (const g of games) seedChatUnread(g.id, g.unreadChat, g.unreadMessages);
-      atGameLimit = list.atGameLimit;
       if (!guest) {
         const [inv, inc] = await Promise.all([gateway.invitationsList(), gateway.friendsIncoming()]);
         if (seq !== loadSeq) return;
@@ -75,7 +67,7 @@
         app.notifications = incoming.length;
         void refreshFeedbackBadge();
       }
-      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, atGameLimit, offline: offlineMode.active });
+      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, offline: offlineMode.active });
       // Warm the cache for the ongoing games so opening one from the lobby is instant. The list
       // just loaded, so the connection is up; the call is non-blocking and re-running it on each
       // lobby refresh cheaply warms any newly appeared game (already-cached ones are skipped).
@@ -103,7 +95,6 @@
       games = cached.games;
       invitations = cached.invitations;
       incoming = cached.incoming;
-      atGameLimit = cached.atGameLimit;
     }
     void load();
   });
@@ -231,7 +222,7 @@
     revealedId = null;
     const prev = games;
     games = games.filter((g) => g.id !== id); // optimistic; the backend already filters it out
-    setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, atGameLimit, offline: offlineMode.active });
+    setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, offline: offlineMode.active });
     try {
       // A local (offline) game is deleted from the device store; an online game is hidden on the
       // backend. Routing by id keeps the delete off the network for a local game (the transport
@@ -240,7 +231,7 @@
       else await gateway.hideGame(id);
     } catch (e) {
       games = prev;
-      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, atGameLimit, offline: offlineMode.active });
+      setLobby({ games, invitations, incoming, offline: offlineMode.active });
       handleError(e);
     }
   }
@@ -379,10 +370,6 @@
     {#if !games.length && !invitations.length}
       <p class="empty">{t('lobby.noActive')}</p>
     {/if}
-
-    {#if atGameLimit}
-      <p class="limit">{t('lobby.limitReached')}</p>
-    {/if}
   </div>
 
   {#if declineTarget}
@@ -411,7 +398,7 @@
 
   {#snippet tabbar()}
     <TabBar>
-      <button class="tab" disabled={atGameLimit} onclick={() => navigate('/new')}>
+      <button class="tab" onclick={() => navigate('/new')}>
         <span class="sq" data-coach="lobby-new">🎲</span><span class="lbl">{t('lobby.new')}</span>
       </button>
       <button class="tab" disabled={offlineMode.active} onclick={() => navigate('/stats')}>
@@ -444,13 +431,6 @@
     font-size: 0.9rem;
     margin: 0;
   }
-  /* A plain, low-emphasis line under the lists when the simultaneous-game cap is reached. */
-  .limit {
-    color: var(--text-muted);
-    font-size: 0.9rem;
-    margin: 0;
-    text-align: center;
-  }
   .invite {
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;

ui/src/screens/NewGame.svelte

@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
   import { onMount } from 'svelte';
   import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
   import Modal from '../components/Modal.svelte';
+  import GameLimitModal from '../components/GameLimitModal.svelte';
   import PinPad, { type PinResult } from '../components/PinPad.svelte';
+  import { getLobby } from '../lib/lobbycache';
+  import { isKindLocked } from '../lib/gamelimits';
+  import { GameKind } from '../lib/model';
   import { gateway } from '../lib/gateway';
   import { app, handleError, showToast } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { connection } from '../lib/connection.svelte';
@@ -51,6 +55,14 @@
   // or a random human via auto-match. AI is the default.
   let opponent = $state<'ai' | 'random'>('ai');
 
+  // Active-game limit lock: the auto-start kind (vs_ai or random by the opponent choice) tested
+  // against the caller's per-kind cap over the online lobby's active games. A capped start opens the
+  // funnel modal instead of enqueuing (the server also refuses it); offline never locks (local
+  // games are uncapped). The lock lifts when the profile is re-fetched after a guest→durable upgrade.
+  const autoKind = $derived(opponent === 'ai' ? GameKind.vsAi : GameKind.random);
+  const autoLocked = $derived(!offlineMode.active && isKindLocked(getLobby(false)?.games ?? [], app.profile?.gameLimits, autoKind));
+  let limitOpen = $state(false);
+
   // --- auto-match ---
   // Enqueue drops the player straight into a real game — a freshly opened one awaiting an
   // opponent, or another player's open game they just joined — so we navigate into it at once
@@ -329,9 +341,16 @@
         {#if opponent === 'random'}<p class="searchhint">{t('new.searchHint')}</p>{/if}
         <button
           class="invite"
-          disabled={!selectedAuto || (!connection.online && !offlineMode.active) || starting}
-          onclick={() => selectedAuto && find(selectedAuto)}
-        >{t('new.start')}</button>
+          class:locked={autoLocked}
+          disabled={(autoLocked ? false : !selectedAuto) || (!connection.online && !offlineMode.active) || starting}
+          onclick={() => (autoLocked ? (limitOpen = true) : selectedAuto && find(selectedAuto))}
+        >{#if autoLocked}🔒 {/if}{t('new.start')}</button>
+        <GameLimitModal
+          open={limitOpen}
+          {guest}
+          onclose={() => (limitOpen = false)}
+          onlogin={() => { limitOpen = false; navigate('/settings'); }}
+        />
       {:else if offlineMode.active}
         <!-- Offline pass-and-play (hotseat): a device-local 2-4 human game. The host sets a master
              PIN first (it gates the roster); each seat may add its own PIN. -->
@@ -660,6 +679,12 @@
   .invite:disabled {
     opacity: 0.5;
   }
+  /* A capped start (the active-game limit): an outline instead of the filled CTA, with a 🔒, so it
+     reads as gated rather than ready. Tapping it opens the funnel modal, never a game. */
+  .invite.locked {
+    background: transparent;
+    color: var(--accent);
+  }
   .searchhint {
     margin: 0;
     text-align: center;