diff --git a/backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go b/backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go
index f306685..0473c1d 100644
--- a/backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go
@@ -347,8 +347,10 @@ func TestAccountLinkEmailMergeIntoCaller(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestAccountLinkGuestInversion merges a guest initiator into the durable account
-// that owns the email: the durable account wins and a fresh session is minted.
+// TestAccountLinkGuestInversion auto-merges a guest initiator into the durable account that
+// owns the email AT THE CONFIRM STEP (no merge confirmation): the guest is retired, the durable
+// account wins and a fresh session is minted for it (the client adopts the switch and lands on
+// the durable account as if it simply logged in).
 func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
@@ -364,17 +366,18 @@ func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("request: %v", err)
 	}
 	code := sixDigit.FindString(mailer.lastBody)
-	if _, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code); err != nil {
+	confirm, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code)
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("confirm: %v", err)
 	}
-	merge, err := links.MergeEmail(ctx, guest, email, code)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("merge: %v", err)
+	// A guest initiator does not get a MergeRequired confirmation — the merge runs inline.
+	if !confirm.Merged || confirm.MergeRequired {
+		t.Fatalf("confirm = %+v, want an inline (auto) merge", confirm)
 	}
-	if merge.PrimaryID != durable {
-		t.Fatalf("primary = %s, want durable %s", merge.PrimaryID, durable)
+	if confirm.Merge.PrimaryID != durable {
+		t.Fatalf("primary = %s, want durable %s", confirm.Merge.PrimaryID, durable)
 	}
-	if merge.SwitchedToken == "" {
+	if confirm.Merge.SwitchedToken == "" {
 		t.Error("a guest initiator whose durable counterpart wins must get a switched session token")
 	}
 	if mergedInto(t, guest) != durable {
@@ -385,6 +388,33 @@ func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestAccountLinkGuestAutoMergeActiveGameConflict guards that a guest's auto-merge is REFUSED
+// (not silently swallowed) at the confirm step when the guest and the durable account share an
+// active game: the caller surfaces ErrActiveGameConflict (mapped to a clear "finish that game
+// first" message) rather than seating one player against themselves.
+func TestAccountLinkGuestAutoMergeActiveGameConflict(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	mailer := &capturingMailer{}
+	links := newLinkService(mailer)
+
+	durable := provisionAccount(t)
+	email := "conflict-" + uuid.NewString() + "@example.com"
+	bindEmailIdentity(t, durable, email)
+	guest := provisionGuest(t)
+	seatGame(t, []uuid.UUID{durable, guest}, 24*time.Hour) // an active game the two share
+
+	if err := links.RequestEmail(ctx, guest, email); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("request: %v", err)
+	}
+	code := sixDigit.FindString(mailer.lastBody)
+	if _, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code); err != accountmerge.ErrActiveGameConflict {
+		t.Fatalf("confirm = %v, want ErrActiveGameConflict surfaced by the auto-merge", err)
+	}
+	if mergedInto(t, guest) != uuid.Nil {
+		t.Error("a refused auto-merge must not tombstone the guest")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestAccountLinkFreeVK binds a free VK identity (gateway-validated, no code) and
 // promotes a guest to durable — the ConfirmVK counterpart of the free-email case.
 func TestAccountLinkFreeVK(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/backend/internal/link/service.go b/backend/internal/link/service.go
index 590e668..04ea562 100644
--- a/backend/internal/link/service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/link/service.go
@@ -31,13 +31,39 @@ func NewService(emails *account.EmailService, accounts *account.Store, merger *a
 	return &Service{emails: emails, accounts: accounts, merger: merger, sessions: sessions}
 }
 
-// ConfirmResult reports the outcome of a confirm step. Exactly one of Linked or
-// MergeRequired is set; SecondaryID is the account to be retired when a merge is
-// required (the caller renders an irreversible-merge confirmation from it).
+// ConfirmResult reports the outcome of a confirm step. Exactly one of Linked,
+// MergeRequired or Merged is set. SecondaryID is the account to be retired when a merge
+// is required (the caller renders an irreversible-merge confirmation from it). Merged is
+// set when the caller was a guest, so the merge ran inline (see confirmOrAutoMerge) and
+// Merge carries its result (the switched-session token for the surviving durable account).
 type ConfirmResult struct {
 	Linked        bool
 	MergeRequired bool
 	SecondaryID   uuid.UUID
+	Merged        bool
+	Merge         MergeResult
+}
+
+// confirmOrAutoMerge decides a required merge at the confirm step. A durable caller gets
+// the explicit MergeRequired confirmation (consolidating two real accounts is irreversible
+// and consequential — the user must see it). A GUEST caller does not: by the guest-primary
+// rule the durable other account survives and the ephemeral guest is retired, folding its
+// games/wallet/stats in — from the user's side it is simply "logged into my account", so the
+// merge runs inline and the client just adopts the switched session. The active-game guard can
+// still refuse (accountmerge.ErrActiveGameConflict), surfaced to the caller unchanged.
+func (s *Service) confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx context.Context, callerID, owner uuid.UUID) (ConfirmResult, error) {
+	caller, err := s.accounts.GetByID(ctx, callerID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ConfirmResult{}, err
+	}
+	if !caller.IsGuest {
+		return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	}
+	res, err := s.merge(ctx, callerID, owner)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ConfirmResult{}, err
+	}
+	return ConfirmResult{Merged: true, Merge: res}, nil
 }
 
 // MergeResult reports a completed merge. PrimaryID is the surviving account.
@@ -67,7 +93,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmEmail(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, email,
 		}
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, accountID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeEmail re-verifies the code and merges the address's account into the
@@ -103,7 +129,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmTelegram(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID, exter
 	if owner == callerID {
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, callerID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeTelegram merges the account owning a gateway-validated Telegram identity
@@ -150,7 +176,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmVK(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID, externalID
 	if owner == callerID {
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, callerID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeVK merges the account owning a gateway-validated VK identity into the caller's
diff --git a/backend/internal/server/handlers_link.go b/backend/internal/server/handlers_link.go
index d8d01dd..2d825ac 100644
--- a/backend/internal/server/handlers_link.go
+++ b/backend/internal/server/handlers_link.go
@@ -285,6 +285,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleLinkVKMerge(c *gin.Context) {
 // or a completed link (the active account's refreshed profile).
 func (s *Server) confirmResultResponse(c *gin.Context, activeID uuid.UUID, res link.ConfirmResult) linkResultResponse {
 	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+	if res.Merged {
+		// A guest initiator's merge ran inline (the guest-primary rule; no confirmation step),
+		// so render the completed merge — the client adopts the switched session and lands on
+		// the surviving durable account as if it simply logged in.
+		return s.mergeResultResponse(c, res.Merge)
+	}
 	if res.MergeRequired {
 		out := linkResultResponse{Status: "merge_required", SecondaryUserID: res.SecondaryID.String()}
 		if acc, err := s.accounts.GetByID(ctx, res.SecondaryID); err == nil {
diff --git a/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md b/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
index 1521ed4..bedad39 100644
--- a/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
+++ b/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
@@ -117,12 +117,15 @@ First platform contact auto-provisions a durable account. From the profile a pla
 links an email (via a confirm code) or their Telegram (via the web sign-in); a guest
 who links their first identity becomes a durable account. The "already taken" status
 of an identity is never revealed before the code/sign-in is verified. If the linked
-identity already belongs to another account, the player is shown an explicit,
-**irreversible** confirmation and the two accounts are merged into the one they are
-using (statistics summed, games and friends transferred, duplicates removed) — except
-when a guest links an identity that already has a durable account, where the durable
-account is kept and the guest's games move into it. A merge is blocked only while the
-two accounts share a game still in progress.
+identity already belongs to another account, the two accounts are merged into one
+(statistics summed, games and friends transferred, wallet folded, duplicates removed).
+A **durable** initiator is shown an explicit, **irreversible** confirmation first —
+consolidating two real accounts is consequential. A **guest** initiator is not: the
+durable account that owns the identity is kept, and the ephemeral guest — with its games,
+wallet and stats folded in — is retired **seamlessly**, so from the player's side it is
+simply signing into their account (the app switches to it with no prompt). A merge is
+blocked only while the two accounts share a game still in progress; a guest is then asked
+to finish that shared game before signing in.
 
 The profile lists the account's **sign-in methods**. On the web a player can add
 Telegram (a login-widget popup) or VK (VK ID web login — a redirect to VK's sign-in and
diff --git a/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md b/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
index 8901aeb..13e07e7 100644
--- a/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
+++ b/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
@@ -121,12 +121,14 @@ Telegram держит **единого бота**: все игроки поль
 привязывает email (по confirm-коду) или свой Telegram (через веб-вход); гость,
 привязавший первую личность, становится постоянным аккаунтом. Факт «личность уже
 занята» не раскрывается до проверки кода/входа. Если привязываемая личность уже
-принадлежит другому аккаунту, игроку показывают явное **необратимое**
-подтверждение, и два аккаунта сливаются в тот, под которым он сейчас работает
-(статистика суммируется, игры и друзья переносятся, дубликаты убираются), — кроме
-случая, когда гость привязывает личность с уже существующим постоянным аккаунтом:
-тогда сохраняется постоянный аккаунт, а игры гостя переходят в него. Слияние
-запрещено, только пока у аккаунтов есть общая незавершённая игра.
+принадлежит другому аккаунту, два аккаунта сливаются в один (статистика суммируется,
+игры и друзья переносятся, кошелёк складывается, дубликаты убираются). **Постоянному**
+инициатору сначала показывают явное **необратимое** подтверждение — объединение двух
+настоящих аккаунтов важно. **Гостю** — нет: сохраняется постоянный аккаунт-владелец
+личности, а эфемерный гость (с его играми, кошельком и статистикой) ретайрится
+**бесшовно**, так что со стороны игрока это просто вход в свой аккаунт (приложение
+переключается на него без запроса). Слияние запрещено, только пока у аккаунтов есть
+общая незавершённая игра; гостя тогда просят сперва доиграть эту общую партию.
 
 В профиле перечислены **способы входа** аккаунта. В вебе игрок может добавить
 Telegram (попап логин-виджета) или VK (веб-вход VK ID — редирект на страницу входа VK и
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts b/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
index d57885c..44cce7e 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
@@ -662,7 +662,18 @@ async function reconcileServerGuest(): Promise<void> {
  */
 export async function applyLinkResult(r: LinkResult): Promise<void> {
   if (r.session && r.session.token) {
+    // A guest initiator's merge switches the session to the surviving durable account. Its
+    // device-local games (vs_ai / hotseat) were seated under the retired account's id, so
+    // re-point them to the survivor: the lobby and the game header identify "me" by the active
+    // account, and without this the merged-away game shows every seat as an opponent (the
+    // in-game turn logic is seat-index based, so it still plays — the summary just misreads).
+    const retiredId = app.session?.userId;
     await adoptSession(r.session);
+    const survivorId = app.session?.userId;
+    if (retiredId && survivorId && retiredId !== survivorId) {
+      const { repointLocalGameSeats } = await import('./localgame/store');
+      await repointLocalGameSeats(retiredId, survivorId);
+    }
     return;
   }
   app.profile = await gateway.profileGet();
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts b/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
index 81786f2..2e0c6b5 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ export const en = {
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Message rejected (too long or contains contact info).',
   'error.nudge_too_soon': "Please don't rush your opponent so often.",
   'error.chat_not_your_turn': 'You can chat only on your turn.',
+  'error.merge_active_game_conflict': 'You have an unfinished game with that account. Finish it, then sign in again.',
   'error.chat_already_sent': 'You can send only one message per turn.',
   'error.game_finished': 'This game is finished.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'You are not a player in this game.',
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts b/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
index 75871c2..024491e 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Сообщение отклонено (слишком длинное или содержит контакты).',
   'error.nudge_too_soon': 'Не стоит торопить соперника так часто.',
   'error.chat_not_your_turn': 'Писать в чат можно только в свой ход.',
+  'error.merge_active_game_conflict': 'У вас есть незавершённая партия с этим аккаунтом. Доиграйте её и войдите снова.',
   'error.chat_already_sent': 'За один ход можно отправить только одно сообщение.',
   'error.game_finished': 'Эта игра уже завершена.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'Вы не участник этой игры.',
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/localgame/store.ts b/ui/src/lib/localgame/store.ts
index d319869..d10097c 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/localgame/store.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/localgame/store.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,26 @@ export async function listLocalGames(): Promise<LocalGameRecord[]> {
   }
 }
 
+/** repointLocalGameSeats rewrites the account id on every stored game's seats from oldId to
+ *  newId. It is run when an account merge retires the account a device-local game was seated
+ *  under (a guest that logged into a durable account): the surviving account then owns the
+ *  games, so the lobby and the game header identify "me" again — without it the human seat no
+ *  longer matches the active account and the game shows every seat as an opponent. Best-effort;
+ *  the records read from IndexedDB are plain objects, so mutating and re-saving them is safe. */
+export async function repointLocalGameSeats(oldId: string, newId: string): Promise<void> {
+  if (!oldId || !newId || oldId === newId) return;
+  for (const g of await listLocalGames()) {
+    let touched = false;
+    for (const s of g.seats) {
+      if (s.accountId === oldId) {
+        s.accountId = newId;
+        touched = true;
+      }
+    }
+    if (touched) await saveLocalGame(g);
+  }
+}
+
 /** deleteLocalGame removes a game record, swallowing any failure (best-effort). */
 export async function deleteLocalGame(id: string): Promise<void> {
   const db = openDb();