Merge pull request 'Promote development → master (deploy v2: versioning + visible jobs + rollback)' (#106) from development into master

- prod-deploy.yaml is now four visible sequential jobs (build -> deploy-main ->
  deploy-bot -> verify) so the rollout stages show in the Actions UI; the
  per-service rolling stays in the deploy-main log.
- prod-rollback.yaml: a separate manual workflow_dispatch. Leave target_version
  blank to roll back to the previous deployed version (the host now tracks
  DEPLOYED_TAG + PREVIOUS_TAG), or pick a release tag. Re-deploys an already
  published image rolling + health-gated, image-only (no rebuild, no DB migration).
- prod-deploy.sh tracks the previous tag (commit_tag) for the blank-input rollback.
- Docs: ARCHITECTURE §13 + deploy/README runbook cover versioning + rollback.

.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml

@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: [development]
 
+# The dictionary release the test suite validates against — the current
+# scrabble-dictionary release. Centralised here so a release bump is one edit; the
+# unit/integration jobs inherit it. The deploy job overrides it per contour with
+# vars.TEST_DICT_VERSION (the seed for a fresh volume), see deploy/README.md.
+env:
+  DICT_VERSION: v1.2.1
+
 jobs:
   # changes detects which areas a PR/push touched, so the test jobs can skip when
   # irrelevant. It defaults to running everything when the diff cannot be computed.
@@ -86,7 +93,6 @@ jobs:
       # The engine consumes the published scrabble-solver module from this Gitea;
       # GOPRIVATE makes go fetch it directly (skipping the public proxy/checksum DB).
       GOPRIVATE: gitea.iliadenisov.ru/*
-      DICT_VERSION: v1.0.0
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -134,7 +140,6 @@ jobs:
       # suite's TestMain terminates its own container, so disable it.
       TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED: "true"
       GOPRIVATE: gitea.iliadenisov.ru/*
-      DICT_VERSION: v1.0.0
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -254,25 +259,24 @@ jobs:
           AWG_CONF: ${{ secrets.TEST_AWG_CONF }}
           GM_BASICAUTH_HASH: ${{ secrets.TEST_GM_BASICAUTH_HASH }}
           GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TEST_GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD }}
-          TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN_EN: ${{ secrets.TEST_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN_EN }}
-          TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN_RU: ${{ secrets.TEST_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN_RU }}
+          TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TEST_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN }}
+          TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TEST_TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN }}
           GM_BASICAUTH_USER: ${{ vars.TEST_GM_BASICAUTH_USER }}
           GRAFANA_ROOT_URL: ${{ vars.TEST_GRAFANA_ROOT_URL }}
           CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS: ${{ vars.TEST_CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS }}
           TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
-          TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID_EN: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID_EN }}
-          TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID_RU: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID_RU }}
+          TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID }}
+          TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID }}
+          TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME: ${{ vars.TEST_TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME }}
+          # The promo button reuses the UI's Mini App link variable.
+          TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
           # The test contour always uses Telegram's test environment — pinned here,
           # not an operator variable. The prod workflow leaves it false.
           TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV: "true"
           VITE_TELEGRAM_BOT_ID: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_BOT_ID }}
           VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
-          VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK_EN: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK_EN }}
-          VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK_RU: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK_RU }}
-          VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME_EN: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME_EN }}
-          VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME_RU: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME_RU }}
+          VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME }}
           VITE_GATEWAY_URL: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_GATEWAY_URL }}
-          GATEWAY_DEFAULT_SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES: ${{ vars.TEST_GATEWAY_DEFAULT_SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES }}
           # Unset vars render empty -> the compose ":-" defaults apply.
           POSTGRES_DB: ${{ vars.TEST_POSTGRES_DB }}
           POSTGRES_USER: ${{ vars.TEST_POSTGRES_USER }}
@@ -289,62 +293,82 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p "$conf"
           cp -r caddy otelcol prometheus tempo grafana "$conf"/
           export SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR="$conf"
+          # Bot-link mTLS material for the test contour: a private CA + gateway/bot
+          # leaves (CN=gateway, the service name the bot dials). Prod supplies these
+          # from PROD_ secrets instead. Regenerated each deploy; both ends redeploy
+          # together so they always share the fresh CA (see deploy/gen-certs.sh).
+          bash "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/deploy/gen-certs.sh" "$conf/certs"
           # App version for the About screen: the git tag if present, else the short SHA
           # (the test checkout is shallow/untagged, so this is the SHA here — fine).
           export APP_VERSION="$(git -C "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE" describe --tags --always 2>/dev/null || echo dev)"
-          docker compose --ansi never build --progress plain
-          docker compose --ansi never up -d --remove-orphans
+          # The telegram-local profile brings the bot + its VPN sidecar; prod runs the
+          # bot on its own host instead (deploy/docker-compose.bot.yml), and the prod
+          # main host omits both. Without the profile they would not start here.
+          docker compose --ansi never --profile telegram-local build --progress plain
+          docker compose --ansi never --profile telegram-local up -d --remove-orphans
           # The config-only services bind-mount the reseeded config dir. A plain `up -d`
           # leaves them on the previous bind mount (the dir was rm'd + recreated), so a
           # changed Caddyfile or Grafana dashboard is ignored — force-recreate them to
           # pick up the fresh config.
           docker compose --ansi never up -d --force-recreate --no-deps caddy otelcol prometheus tempo grafana
 
-      - name: Probe the landing and the gateway through caddy
+      - name: Probe the landing, gateway and backend
         run: |
           set -u
-          # Two probes through the contour caddy: "/" is the static
-          # landing container, "/app/" is the gateway-served SPA shell.
+          # Three probes. "/" is the static landing container and "/app/" the
+          # gateway-served SPA shell (both through the contour caddy on the edge net).
+          # The backend /readyz is probed on the internal net as well: the caddy probes
+          # are blind to a crash-looping backend (the landing is static and the SPA
+          # shell is served without it), which let a bad deploy go green while the
+          # backend was down — so check it directly here.
           for i in $(seq 1 20); do
             if docker run --rm --network edge alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://scrabble/ &&
-               docker run --rm --network edge alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://scrabble/app/; then
-              echo "healthy: GET http://scrabble/ (landing) + /app/ (gateway)"
+               docker run --rm --network edge alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://scrabble/app/ &&
+               docker run --rm --network scrabble-internal alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://backend:8080/readyz; then
+              echo "healthy: GET / (landing) + /app/ (gateway) + backend /readyz"
               exit 0
             fi
             sleep 3
           done
-          echo "probe failed; recent landing + gateway logs:"
+          echo "probe failed; recent landing + gateway + backend logs:"
           docker logs --tail 50 scrabble-landing || true
           docker logs --tail 50 scrabble-gateway || true
+          docker logs --tail 50 scrabble-backend || true
           exit 1
 
-      - name: Probe the Telegram connector liveness
+      - name: Probe the Telegram validator and bot liveness
         run: |
           set -u
-          # The gateway probe cannot see a crash-looping connector (it long-polls and
-          # egresses through the VPN sidecar, with no public ingress). Inspect the
-          # container directly: it must be running, not restarting, with a stable
-          # restart count. A grace period lets the VPN handshake settle (the connector
-          # may restart a few times first).
+          # The gateway/backend probes cannot see a crash-looping validator or bot
+          # (the validator answers only internal gRPC; the bot long-polls + egresses
+          # through the VPN sidecar with no public ingress). Inspect the containers
+          # directly: each must be running, not restarting, with a stable restart
+          # count. A grace period lets the VPN handshake and the bot-link dial settle.
           sleep 20
-          for i in $(seq 1 20); do
-            status="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}}' scrabble-telegram 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
-            restarting="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Restarting}}' scrabble-telegram 2>/dev/null || echo true)"
-            if [ "$status" = "running" ] && [ "$restarting" = "false" ]; then
-              c1="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' scrabble-telegram)"
-              sleep 5
-              c2="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' scrabble-telegram)"
-              if [ "$c1" = "$c2" ]; then
-                echo "connector healthy: status=$status restarts=$c2"
-                exit 0
+          for name in scrabble-telegram-validator scrabble-telegram-bot; do
+            ok=
+            for i in $(seq 1 20); do
+              status="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}}' "$name" 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
+              restarting="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Restarting}}' "$name" 2>/dev/null || echo true)"
+              if [ "$status" = "running" ] && [ "$restarting" = "false" ]; then
+                c1="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$name")"
+                sleep 5
+                c2="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$name")"
+                if [ "$c1" = "$c2" ]; then
+                  echo "$name healthy: status=$status restarts=$c2"
+                  ok=1
+                  break
+                fi
+                echo "$name still restarting ($c1 -> $c2); waiting"
               fi
-              echo "connector still restarting ($c1 -> $c2); waiting"
+              sleep 3
+            done
+            if [ -z "$ok" ]; then
+              echo "$name not healthy; recent logs:"
+              docker logs --tail 80 "$name" || true
+              exit 1
             fi
-            sleep 3
           done
-          echo "connector not healthy; recent logs:"
-          docker logs --tail 80 scrabble-telegram || true
-          exit 1
 
       - name: Prune dangling images
         if: always()

.gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,266 @@
+# Manual production rollout. Runs ONLY from master, ONLY on workflow_dispatch with
+# confirm=deploy (development->master is merged + green first; this is the separate,
+# deliberate prod step). Visible sequential jobs from most to least significant:
+#   build -> deploy-main -> deploy-bot -> verify
+# The per-service rolling (postgres->backend->gateway->landing->validator->caddy),
+# health-gating and auto-rollback live in deploy/prod-deploy.sh on the main host and
+# show in the deploy-main log. Manual post-deploy rollback is prod-rollback.yaml.
+# See deploy/README.md (prod runbook).
+name: prod-deploy
+run-name: "prod deploy ${{ github.sha }}"
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      confirm:
+        description: 'Type "deploy" to confirm a production rollout from master.'
+        required: true
+        default: ""
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+env:
+  NO_COLOR: "1"
+  DOCKER_CLI_HINTS: "false"
+  REGISTRY: docker.iliadenisov.ru/developer
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && inputs.confirm == 'deploy' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    outputs:
+      tag: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.tag }}
+    env:
+      PROD_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_REGISTRY_USER }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD }}
+      VITE_TELEGRAM_BOT_ID: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_TELEGRAM_BOT_ID }}
+      VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
+      VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME }}
+      VITE_GATEWAY_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_GATEWAY_URL }}
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_POSTGRES_PASSWORD }}
+      GM_BASICAUTH_HASH: ${{ secrets.PROD_GM_BASICAUTH_HASH }}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
+      DICT_VERSION: ${{ vars.PROD_DICT_VERSION }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Compute version tag
+        id: ver
+        run: echo "tag=$(git describe --tags --always)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      - name: Registry login
+        run: echo "$PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | docker login "${REGISTRY%%/*}" -u "$PROD_REGISTRY_USER" --password-stdin
+      - name: Build and push images
+        working-directory: deploy
+        run: |
+          export TAG="${{ steps.ver.outputs.tag }}" APP_VERSION="${{ steps.ver.outputs.tag }}" SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR=.
+          # The four main-stack images via compose (reuses the build args, incl. VERSION);
+          # the bot separately, since it is profiled out of the prod compose.
+          docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml build
+          docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml push backend gateway landing validator
+          docker build -f ../platform/telegram/Dockerfile --target bot --build-arg VERSION="$TAG" -t "$REGISTRY/scrabble-telegram-bot:$TAG" ..
+          docker push "$REGISTRY/scrabble-telegram-bot:$TAG"
+
+  deploy-main:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    env:
+      TAG: ${{ needs.build.outputs.tag }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_REGISTRY_USER }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD }}
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_POSTGRES_PASSWORD }}
+      GM_BASICAUTH_HASH: ${{ secrets.PROD_GM_BASICAUTH_HASH }}
+      GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_CA: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_CA }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY }}
+      GM_BASICAUTH_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_GM_BASICAUTH_USER }}
+      GRAFANA_ROOT_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_GRAFANA_ROOT_URL }}
+      CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS: ${{ vars.PROD_CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS }}
+      LOG_LEVEL: ${{ vars.PROD_LOG_LEVEL }}
+      DICT_VERSION: ${{ vars.PROD_DICT_VERSION }}
+      POSTGRES_DB: ${{ vars.PROD_POSTGRES_DB }}
+      POSTGRES_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_POSTGRES_USER }}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Determine previous tag and migration
+        run: |
+          ssh_main() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "$@"; }
+          PREV_TAG="$(ssh_main 'cat /opt/scrabble/DEPLOYED_TAG 2>/dev/null || echo none')"
+          MIGRATION=0
+          if [ "$PREV_TAG" != none ]; then
+            if ! git cat-file -e "$PREV_TAG^{commit}" 2>/dev/null; then
+              MIGRATION=1
+            elif git diff --name-only "$PREV_TAG..$TAG" -- backend/internal/postgres/migrations/ | grep -q .; then
+              MIGRATION=1
+            fi
+          fi
+          { echo "PREV_TAG=$PREV_TAG"; echo "MIGRATION=$MIGRATION"; } >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          echo "prev=$PREV_TAG migration=$MIGRATION"
+      - name: Render main env + certs
+        run: |
+          umask 077
+          mkdir -p stage/certs-main
+          cat > stage/env.sh <<EOF
+          export REGISTRY='$REGISTRY'
+          export SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR='/opt/scrabble'
+          export POSTGRES_DB='${POSTGRES_DB:-scrabble}'
+          export POSTGRES_USER='${POSTGRES_USER:-scrabble}'
+          export POSTGRES_PASSWORD='$POSTGRES_PASSWORD'
+          export GM_BASICAUTH_USER='${GM_BASICAUTH_USER:-gm}'
+          export GM_BASICAUTH_HASH='$GM_BASICAUTH_HASH'
+          export GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD='$GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD'
+          export GRAFANA_ROOT_URL='$GRAFANA_ROOT_URL'
+          export CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS='$CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS'
+          export LOG_LEVEL='${LOG_LEVEL:-info}'
+          export DICT_VERSION='$DICT_VERSION'
+          export APP_VERSION='$TAG'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL='$TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL'
+          export GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED='true'
+          EOF
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_CA"           > stage/certs-main/ca.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT" > stage/certs-main/gateway.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY"  > stage/certs-main/gateway.key
+          chmod 644 stage/certs-main/*
+      - name: Deploy the main host
+        run: |
+          ssh_main() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "$@"; }
+          ssh_main 'mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/compose'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - docker-compose.yml docker-compose.prod.yml prod-deploy.sh \
+            | ssh_main 'tar -C /opt/scrabble/compose -xzf -'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - caddy otelcol prometheus tempo grafana \
+            | ssh_main 'tar -C /opt/scrabble -xzf -'
+          tar -C stage -czf - certs-main \
+            | ssh_main 'rm -rf /opt/scrabble/certs && mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/certs && tar -C /opt/scrabble/certs --strip-components=1 -xzf -'
+          scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes stage/env.sh "deploy@$MAIN_HOST:/opt/scrabble/env.sh"
+          echo "$PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | ssh_main "docker login ${REGISTRY%%/*} -u $PROD_REGISTRY_USER --password-stdin"
+          ssh_main "TAG='$TAG' PREV_TAG='$PREV_TAG' MIGRATION='$MIGRATION' bash /opt/scrabble/compose/prod-deploy.sh"
+
+  deploy-bot:
+    needs: [build, deploy-main]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    env:
+      TAG: ${{ needs.build.outputs.tag }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_REGISTRY_USER }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD }}
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      TG_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_TG_HOST }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_CA: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_CA }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY }}
+      LOG_LEVEL: ${{ vars.PROD_LOG_LEVEL }}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
+      TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID }}
+      TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Render bot env + certs
+        run: |
+          umask 077
+          mkdir -p stage/certs-bot
+          cat > stage/env.bot.sh <<EOF
+          export SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR='/opt/scrabble'
+          export BOT_IMAGE='$REGISTRY/scrabble-telegram-bot:$TAG'
+          export BOTLINK_GATEWAY_ADDR='$MAIN_HOST:9443'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL='$TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL'
+          export TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID='$TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID'
+          export TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID='$TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID'
+          export TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME='$TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK='$TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK'
+          export LOG_LEVEL='${LOG_LEVEL:-info}'
+          EOF
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_CA"       > stage/certs-bot/ca.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT" > stage/certs-bot/bot.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY"  > stage/certs-bot/bot.key
+          chmod 644 stage/certs-bot/*
+      - name: Deploy the bot host
+        run: |
+          ssh_tg() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$TG_HOST" "$@"; }
+          ssh_tg 'mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/compose'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - docker-compose.bot.yml | ssh_tg 'tar -C /opt/scrabble/compose -xzf -'
+          tar -C stage -czf - certs-bot \
+            | ssh_tg 'rm -rf /opt/scrabble/certs && mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/certs && tar -C /opt/scrabble/certs --strip-components=1 -xzf -'
+          scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes stage/env.bot.sh "deploy@$TG_HOST:/opt/scrabble/env.bot.sh"
+          echo "$PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | ssh_tg "docker login ${REGISTRY%%/*} -u $PROD_REGISTRY_USER --password-stdin"
+          ssh_tg 'set -a; . /opt/scrabble/env.bot.sh; set +a; cd /opt/scrabble/compose;
+            docker compose -f docker-compose.bot.yml pull;
+            docker compose -f docker-compose.bot.yml up -d'
+          ssh_tg 'for i in $(seq 1 20); do
+              s=$(docker inspect -f "{{.State.Status}}" scrabble-telegram-bot 2>/dev/null || echo missing)
+              r=$(docker inspect -f "{{.State.Restarting}}" scrabble-telegram-bot 2>/dev/null || echo true)
+              if [ "$s" = running ] && [ "$r" = false ]; then
+                c1=$(docker inspect -f "{{.RestartCount}}" scrabble-telegram-bot); sleep 5
+                c2=$(docker inspect -f "{{.RestartCount}}" scrabble-telegram-bot)
+                [ "$c1" = "$c2" ] && { echo "bot healthy"; exit 0; }
+              fi
+              sleep 3
+            done
+            echo "bot not healthy:"; docker logs --tail 80 scrabble-telegram-bot; exit 1'
+
+  verify:
+    needs: [deploy-main, deploy-bot]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    env:
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS: ${{ vars.PROD_CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Verify the public site
+        run: |
+          domain="${CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS%% *}"
+          ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "for i in \$(seq 1 20); do
+              if curl -fsS -k --resolve $domain:443:127.0.0.1 https://$domain/ -o /dev/null &&
+                 curl -fsS -k --resolve $domain:443:127.0.0.1 https://$domain/app/ -o /dev/null &&
+                 docker run --rm --network scrabble-internal alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://backend:8080/readyz; then
+                echo 'public site + /app/ + backend healthy'; exit 0
+              fi
+              sleep 5
+            done
+            echo 'public verify failed; recent caddy + gateway + backend logs:'
+            docker logs --tail 40 scrabble-caddy; docker logs --tail 40 scrabble-gateway; docker logs --tail 40 scrabble-backend
+            exit 1"

.gitea/workflows/prod-rollback.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+# Manual production rollback. Runs ONLY from master, ONLY on workflow_dispatch with
+# confirm=rollback. Re-deploys an already-published image tag (no build): leave
+# target_version blank to roll back to the previously deployed version (read from the
+# main host), or set it to a specific release tag from the Releases page. The
+# re-deploy is the same rolling, health-gated path as prod-deploy (TAG=target,
+# MIGRATION=0 — rollback is image-only and never migrates the DB; image rollback is
+# DB-safe under the expand-contract rule). See deploy/README.md (prod runbook).
+name: prod-rollback
+run-name: "prod rollback ${{ inputs.target_version || 'previous' }}"
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      confirm:
+        description: 'Type "rollback" to confirm a production rollback.'
+        required: true
+        default: ""
+      target_version:
+        description: "Release tag to roll back to (blank = the previous deployed version)."
+        required: false
+        default: ""
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+env:
+  NO_COLOR: "1"
+  DOCKER_CLI_HINTS: "false"
+  REGISTRY: docker.iliadenisov.ru/developer
+
+jobs:
+  rollback-main:
+    if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && inputs.confirm == 'rollback' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    outputs:
+      target: ${{ steps.resolve.outputs.target }}
+    env:
+      PROD_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_REGISTRY_USER }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD }}
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_POSTGRES_PASSWORD }}
+      GM_BASICAUTH_HASH: ${{ secrets.PROD_GM_BASICAUTH_HASH }}
+      GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_CA: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_CA }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY }}
+      GM_BASICAUTH_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_GM_BASICAUTH_USER }}
+      GRAFANA_ROOT_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_GRAFANA_ROOT_URL }}
+      CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS: ${{ vars.PROD_CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS }}
+      LOG_LEVEL: ${{ vars.PROD_LOG_LEVEL }}
+      DICT_VERSION: ${{ vars.PROD_DICT_VERSION }}
+      POSTGRES_DB: ${{ vars.PROD_POSTGRES_DB }}
+      POSTGRES_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_POSTGRES_USER }}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
+      INPUT_TARGET: ${{ inputs.target_version }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Resolve rollback target
+        id: resolve
+        run: |
+          ssh_main() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "$@"; }
+          CURRENT="$(ssh_main 'cat /opt/scrabble/DEPLOYED_TAG 2>/dev/null || echo none')"
+          if [ -n "$INPUT_TARGET" ]; then
+            TARGET="$INPUT_TARGET"
+          else
+            TARGET="$(ssh_main 'cat /opt/scrabble/PREVIOUS_TAG 2>/dev/null || echo none')"
+          fi
+          if [ -z "$TARGET" ] || [ "$TARGET" = none ]; then
+            echo "no rollback target (no PREVIOUS_TAG on the host and no target_version input)"; exit 1
+          fi
+          if [ "$TARGET" = "$CURRENT" ]; then
+            echo "target $TARGET is already the deployed version; nothing to do"; exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "rolling back: current=$CURRENT -> target=$TARGET"
+          echo "target=$TARGET" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          { echo "TARGET=$TARGET"; echo "CURRENT=$CURRENT"; } >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+      - name: Render main env + certs
+        run: |
+          umask 077
+          mkdir -p stage/certs-main
+          cat > stage/env.sh <<EOF
+          export REGISTRY='$REGISTRY'
+          export SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR='/opt/scrabble'
+          export POSTGRES_DB='${POSTGRES_DB:-scrabble}'
+          export POSTGRES_USER='${POSTGRES_USER:-scrabble}'
+          export POSTGRES_PASSWORD='$POSTGRES_PASSWORD'
+          export GM_BASICAUTH_USER='${GM_BASICAUTH_USER:-gm}'
+          export GM_BASICAUTH_HASH='$GM_BASICAUTH_HASH'
+          export GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD='$GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD'
+          export GRAFANA_ROOT_URL='$GRAFANA_ROOT_URL'
+          export CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS='$CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS'
+          export LOG_LEVEL='${LOG_LEVEL:-info}'
+          export DICT_VERSION='$DICT_VERSION'
+          export APP_VERSION='$TARGET'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL='$TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL'
+          export GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED='true'
+          EOF
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_CA"           > stage/certs-main/ca.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT" > stage/certs-main/gateway.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY"  > stage/certs-main/gateway.key
+          chmod 644 stage/certs-main/*
+      - name: Roll the main host back
+        run: |
+          ssh_main() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "$@"; }
+          ssh_main 'mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/compose'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - docker-compose.yml docker-compose.prod.yml prod-deploy.sh \
+            | ssh_main 'tar -C /opt/scrabble/compose -xzf -'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - caddy otelcol prometheus tempo grafana \
+            | ssh_main 'tar -C /opt/scrabble -xzf -'
+          tar -C stage -czf - certs-main \
+            | ssh_main 'rm -rf /opt/scrabble/certs && mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/certs && tar -C /opt/scrabble/certs --strip-components=1 -xzf -'
+          scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes stage/env.sh "deploy@$MAIN_HOST:/opt/scrabble/env.sh"
+          echo "$PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | ssh_main "docker login ${REGISTRY%%/*} -u $PROD_REGISTRY_USER --password-stdin"
+          # Image-only rollback: no migration window (TAG=target, MIGRATION=0). A failed
+          # rollback's auto-revert returns to the current version (PREV_TAG=$CURRENT).
+          ssh_main "TAG='$TARGET' PREV_TAG='$CURRENT' MIGRATION=0 bash /opt/scrabble/compose/prod-deploy.sh"
+
+  rollback-bot:
+    needs: rollback-main
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    env:
+      TARGET: ${{ needs.rollback-main.outputs.target }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ vars.PROD_REGISTRY_USER }}
+      PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD }}
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      TG_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_TG_HOST }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PROD_TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_CA: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_CA }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT }}
+      PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY }}
+      LOG_LEVEL: ${{ vars.PROD_LOG_LEVEL }}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL }}
+      TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID }}
+      TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME: ${{ vars.PROD_TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME }}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK: ${{ vars.PROD_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Render bot env + certs
+        run: |
+          umask 077
+          mkdir -p stage/certs-bot
+          cat > stage/env.bot.sh <<EOF
+          export SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR='/opt/scrabble'
+          export BOT_IMAGE='$REGISTRY/scrabble-telegram-bot:$TARGET'
+          export BOTLINK_GATEWAY_ADDR='$MAIN_HOST:9443'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL='$TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL'
+          export TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID='$TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID'
+          export TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID='$TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID'
+          export TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN='$TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME='$TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME'
+          export TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK='$TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK'
+          export LOG_LEVEL='${LOG_LEVEL:-info}'
+          EOF
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_CA"       > stage/certs-bot/ca.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_CERT" > stage/certs-bot/bot.crt
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_BOTLINK_BOT_KEY"  > stage/certs-bot/bot.key
+          chmod 644 stage/certs-bot/*
+      - name: Roll the bot host back
+        run: |
+          ssh_tg() { ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$TG_HOST" "$@"; }
+          ssh_tg 'mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/compose'
+          tar -C deploy -czf - docker-compose.bot.yml | ssh_tg 'tar -C /opt/scrabble/compose -xzf -'
+          tar -C stage -czf - certs-bot \
+            | ssh_tg 'rm -rf /opt/scrabble/certs && mkdir -p /opt/scrabble/certs && tar -C /opt/scrabble/certs --strip-components=1 -xzf -'
+          scp -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes stage/env.bot.sh "deploy@$TG_HOST:/opt/scrabble/env.bot.sh"
+          echo "$PROD_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | ssh_tg "docker login ${REGISTRY%%/*} -u $PROD_REGISTRY_USER --password-stdin"
+          ssh_tg 'set -a; . /opt/scrabble/env.bot.sh; set +a; cd /opt/scrabble/compose;
+            docker compose -f docker-compose.bot.yml pull;
+            docker compose -f docker-compose.bot.yml up -d'
+
+  verify:
+    needs: [rollback-main, rollback-bot]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    env:
+      PROD_SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KEY }}
+      PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS: ${{ secrets.PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS }}
+      MAIN_HOST: ${{ vars.PROD_MAIN_HOST }}
+      CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS: ${{ vars.PROD_CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Set up SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KEY" > ~/.ssh/id_deploy && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_deploy
+          printf '%s\n' "$PROD_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS" > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      - name: Verify the public site
+        run: |
+          domain="${CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS%% *}"
+          ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_deploy -o BatchMode=yes "deploy@$MAIN_HOST" "for i in \$(seq 1 20); do
+              if curl -fsS -k --resolve $domain:443:127.0.0.1 https://$domain/ -o /dev/null &&
+                 docker run --rm --network scrabble-internal alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null http://backend:8080/readyz; then
+                echo 'rolled-back site healthy'; exit 0
+              fi
+              sleep 5
+            done
+            echo 'verify failed'; docker logs --tail 40 scrabble-caddy; docker logs --tail 40 scrabble-backend; exit 1"

.gitignore

@@ -17,5 +17,9 @@
 **/.env.local
 **/.env.*.local
 
+# Bot-link mTLS material: private keys never belong in the repo. The test contour
+# generates them with deploy/gen-certs.sh; prod supplies them from PROD_ secrets.
+deploy/certs/
+
 # Claude Code harness runtime artifacts
 .claude/scheduled_tasks.lock

CLAUDE.md

@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ backend/                     # module scrabble/backend
   internal/inttest/          # //go:build integration Postgres-backed tests
 docs/  .gitea/workflows/  PLAN.md  CLAUDE.md  README.md
 gateway/  ui/  pkg/              # added by their stages
-platform/telegram/               # Telegram connector side-service (Stage 9): bot + gRPC API
+platform/telegram/               # Telegram side-service, two binaries (Stage 9; split in phase TX): cmd/validator (HMAC, no VPN) + cmd/bot (Bot API; dials gateway over reverse mTLS bot-link)
 loadtest/                        # module scrabble/loadtest: the pre-release stress harness (R2)
-backend/Dockerfile gateway/Dockerfile platform/telegram/Dockerfile loadtest/Dockerfile  # multi-stage distroless (Stage 16; loadtest R2); gateway/Dockerfile also has the `landing` target (R3)
+backend/Dockerfile gateway/Dockerfile platform/telegram/Dockerfile loadtest/Dockerfile  # multi-stage distroless (Stage 16; loadtest R2); gateway/Dockerfile has the `landing` target (R3), platform/telegram/Dockerfile has `validator`+`bot` targets (TX)
 deploy/                          # docker-compose (per-service limits, R7) + caddy + landing + otelcol (OTLP + docker_stats per-container metrics) + prometheus/tempo/grafana + postgres_exporter
 ```
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ go build ./backend/...          # per module ('./...' from the root won't span t
 go vet ./backend/...
 gofmt -l .                      # must print nothing
 go test -count=1 ./backend/...
-go build ./platform/telegram/... && go test ./platform/telegram/...  # Telegram connector (Stage 9)
+go build ./platform/telegram/... && go test ./platform/telegram/...  # Telegram validator + bot (Stage 9; split in TX)
 go run ./backend/cmd/backend    # /healthz, /readyz on :8080
 
 cd ui && pnpm install && pnpm check && pnpm test:unit && pnpm build  # the UI (Stage 7+)

PLAN.md

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ independent (see ARCHITECTURE §9.1).
 | 15 | Dual Telegram bots & language-gated variants | **done** |
 | 16 | Deploy infra & test contour (Dockerfiles, gateway static UI, compose, observability) | **done** |
 | 17 | Test-contour verification & defect fixes | **done** |
-| 18 | Prod contour deploy (SSH export/import, manual after merge) | todo |
+| 18 | Prod contour deploy (registry, two-host, rolling + auto-rollback; manual after merge) | machinery built; first cutover pending DNS |
 | 19 | User feedback (in-app submit + attachment, admin review/reply, account roles) | **done** |
 
 Scaffolding is incremental: `go.work` lists only existing modules; each stage
@@ -281,6 +281,12 @@ back to `preferred_language`). Non-Telegram logins (web/email/guest) carry the g
 (`GATEWAY_DEFAULT_SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES`, all variants). Admin broadcasts (`SendToUser`/`SendToGameChannel`)
 pick the bot by an **operator-chosen** language in the console — unrelated to `ValidateInitData`.
 
+> **Superseded (2026-06-20, pre-release phase SB):** the two bots collapsed into **one** and the
+> language-gated variant choice moved to a per-user **`variant_preferences`** profile set (default Erudit
+> only). `accounts.service_language`, `supported_languages`, the `*_EN`/`*_RU` env vars,
+> `GATEWAY_DEFAULT_SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES` and game-language push routing are gone; the single bot renders in
+> the recipient's `preferred_language`. Current state: `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` §3/§10, `PRERELEASE.md` row SB.
+
 ### Stage 16 — Deploy infra & test contour *(done)*
 Scope: the deploy machinery + the **test contour** (the bulk of the original Stage 14). Backend +
 gateway **Dockerfiles** (multi-stage distroless, mirroring the Stage 9 connector image); the gateway
@@ -407,18 +413,28 @@ raw list is kept here as the record of what the first contour run surfaced.
   "что-то пошло не так". при этом "new -> эрудит" работает. Попробуй посмотреть в логах сейчас, может что-то есть. Или как-то иначе проанализируй, или давай вместе будем смотреть, если не получится.
 
 ### Stage 18 — Prod contour deploy
-Scope: the **production contour** on a remote host over SSH. Deploy by **container export/import**
-(`docker save` → `scp`/ssh → `docker load` → `docker compose up` on the remote), the SSH key + host IP
-in Gitea secrets; **strictly manual** (`workflow_dispatch`) after `development` is merged to `master`
-(the Stage 16 branch model: `feature/* → development → master`, merge gated green). Two-contour config
-uses **`TEST_`/`PROD_` secret/variable prefixes** — Gitea 1.26 has no deployment environments (verified:
-the `environments` API 404s), so a flat prefixed namespace is the convention.
-Reuses the Stage 16 `deploy/docker-compose.yml` as-is, mapping the **`PROD_`** set onto the same
-unprefixed compose vars. **No host caddy on prod**, so the contour's own caddy terminates TLS — set
-`CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS` to the prod domain so caddy does its own ACME (the Caddyfile is already
-parameterised for this; the test contour leaves it `:80` behind the host caddy).
-Open details (re-interview): export/import vs a registry trade-off; prod domain/cert source (ACME vs a
-provided cert) at the contour caddy; prod VPN; rollback.
+Scope: the **production contour** on **two remote hosts** over SSH — main (full stack, `erudit-game.ru`)
+and tg (the bot only). Resolved open details (re-interviewed):
+- **Transport: a registry** (not export/import) — build + push to `docker.iliadenisov.ru`, the hosts pull by tag.
+- **Cert: ACME** at the contour caddy (`CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS=erudit-game.ru www.erudit-game.ru`, no host caddy).
+- **No prod VPN** — the bot host has native Bot API egress (verified `api.telegram.org` → 200).
+- **Rollback** — rolling per-service deploy (least → most dependent), health-gated, auto-rollback to the
+  previous image tag; a maintenance window + consistent `pg_dump` only on a schema migration
+  (expand-contract keeps the auto-rollback image-only; the dump is a manual safety net).
+
+**Strictly manual** (`workflow_dispatch` from `master`, `confirm=deploy`) after `development → master`
+is merged green. `TEST_`/`PROD_` prefixed Gitea secrets/variables (Gitea 1.26 has no deployment
+environments — the `environments` API 404s). Hosts are provisioned by **`deploy/ansible/`** (docker, a
+non-sudo `deploy` user with the CI key, key-only sshd, ufw, fail2ban). The main host is **launch-sized**
+(2 vCPU / 1.9 GiB): `docker-compose.prod.yml` trims the R7 limits (`GOMAXPROCS=2`, smaller caps, 7d
+Prometheus retention) and adds `node_exporter` for host-memory monitoring (launch undersized, resize at
+Selectel reactively). `vpn`+`bot` are gated to a `telegram-local` compose profile (test only); the prod
+bot runs standalone from `docker-compose.bot.yml`. `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED=true`.
+
+**Built:** `deploy/ansible/` (both hosts provisioned + verified), the compose split + `node_exporter`,
+`.gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml` + `deploy/prod-deploy.sh`, the full `PROD_` secret/variable set.
+**Remaining (acceptance):** the **first live cutover** — waits on the `erudit-game.ru` DNS delegation
+(`A`/`www` → the main host) that ACME requires; then run the workflow and verify the public site end-to-end.
 
 ### Stage 19 — User feedback *(done)*
 A user→operator feedback channel, sequenced after the numbered stages but shipped **before** the Stage 18
@@ -776,7 +792,7 @@ cannot submit; three-way admin filter.
     reusable **HoldConfirm** press-and-hold control (MakeMove 🏁 + game-action confirms);
     board **zoom reworked** to a width-based zoom in a fixed viewport (real native
     scroll, double-tap; pinch/swipe dropped) with constant `cqw` labels, corner-letter
-    tiles, contrasting grid lines, last-word dark-tile highlight, and a Settings
+    tiles, last-word dark-tile highlight, and a Settings
     **bonus-label style** (beginner/
     classic/none); **hint lays its tiles on the board** (no spend when no move — a new
     `no_hint_available` result code); the history opens as an in-place **slide-down**

PRERELEASE.md

@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ the edge before prod. Each phase maps back to the owner's raw pre-release TODO l
 | AB | Manual account block (admin suspension): permanent/temporary with an editable en+ru reason picklist; a block forfeits the player's active games + cancels their open ones; a backend gate refuses a blocked account with **403 `account_blocked`**; the UI shows a terminal blocked screen and stops all push/poll; manual unblock; temporary blocks self-expire (migration `00003`) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
 | AI | Honest AI opponent in quick game: an explicit 🤖 AI / 👤 random selector (AI default); the robot is seated and moves at once; 7-day inactivity loss (the per-turn timeout reused); chat/nudge disabled, no statistics; the opponent is shown as 🤖 everywhere | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
 | AD | Advertising banner ("ad network"): server-driven weighted campaigns (percent weight + validity window; the perpetual default fills the remainder up to 100%), bilingual messages shown by bot (`service_language`); eligibility = free account + empty hint wallet + no `no_banner` role (guests included); the resolved feed rides `profile.get` with a `notify` `banner` re-poll on eligibility change; `/_gm/banners` admin + global display timings; client smooth-weighted-round-robin rotation + fade-out/gap/fade-in UX. A single `app.load` bootstrap aggregator was considered and **deferred** (see ARCHITECTURE §10). | owner ad-hoc | **done** (PR1 backend+admin, PR2 UI rotation) |
+| GL | Simultaneous quick-game cap (10): grey "New Game" + a lobby notice at the cap; backend gate on quick enqueue + invitation creation (409 `game_limit_reached`), accepting invitations exempt; `at_game_limit` rides `games.list` | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| CR | In-game chat read receipts: per-message `unread_seats` bitmask (migration `00008`); a per-viewer unread **dot** in the lobby + game header (a nudge counts and clears when its recipient moves); reading = opening the move history (the 💬 fade-blinks twice) or the chat, acked (`chat.read`) only when unread; `chat_read_duration` + `chat_unread_messages` metrics + tracing + the **Scrabble — Messages** Grafana dashboard (follow-up PR); a message to a disguised robot opponent is born read; admin unread-only filter / read column / per-seat read card | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| BX | Asymmetric per-user block + in-game controls: a block now silently suppresses everything **from** the blocked user (chat, nudge, friend requests, invitations are kept but never delivered/surfaced, born-read) while they notice nothing, **without** deleting the friendship (unblock restores it); auto-match excludes a block-related pair (either direction); in-game opponent card gains a ✖️ **block** control (mirroring 🤝, red "Block?" confirm, mutual-hide, struck name + hidden chat composer when blocked); optimistic apply + `user_blocked`/`user_unblocked` event confirm + rollback; admin user card gains **blocks / blocked-by / friends** cross-linked lists. Blocking a disguised-robot opponent is recorded per-game in a separate **`robot_blocks`** table (migration `00011`), keyed on game+seat with the seen name — never the shared robot account — so the matchmaker keeps giving robots; it shows in the blocked list and re-marks the in-game card | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| FM | First-move tile draw (official rules): each seated player draws a tile, the one closest to "A" leads (a blank beats every letter), ties re-drawing until a single leader; **honest per-draw `crypto/rand` entropy**, not the bag seed, so the **record** (`game_setup_draws`, migration `00013`) — not a seed — is the only account of the outcome, kept for future **tournaments** (designed as a discrete per-tile "player N draws" step). Friend/AI draws at create; **auto-match draws at *open*** against a synthetic `uuid.Nil` opponent whose draw rows are back-filled on join, so the opener's seat is fixed up front and the existing open-game pre-move is preserved (no reseating, no play-gating). Admin `/_gm/games/:id` gains the recorded draw list + a simple **step-by-step board replay** (`ReplayTimeline`). | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| SB | Single Telegram bot + per-user variant preferences: the two per-language bots collapse into **one** (drop `accounts.service_language`, `supported_languages`, the `*_EN`/`*_RU` env vars and game-language push routing — the single bot renders in the recipient's `preferred_language`); New Game variant gating moves to a profile **`variant_preferences`** set (default Erudit only, Erudit-first, server-enforced on the caller's auto-match/vs-AI/invitation-create paths, an invited friend may accept any variant); env vars collapse to unsuffixed `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN`/`TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID`/`VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK`/`VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME` and `GATEWAY_DEFAULT_SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES` is removed; wire drops `service_language`/`supported_languages` (Session, ValidateInitDataResponse) + the push `language` routing field and adds `variant_preferences` to Profile/UpdateProfile. | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| DV | Dictionary version hygiene: CI + image/compose seed track the current release (`v1.2.1`); a **seed-drift guard** records the flat dir's seed in an authoritative `.seed_version` marker so a bumped build seed on a live volume is ignored (it can't relabel live bytes — which would mis-serve the dictionary + void games pinned to the prior label); `DICT_VERSION` is the fresh-volume seed only, a live contour migrates through the admin console | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
+| TX | Telegram egress off the main host: split the connector into a home **validator** (Mini App / Login-Widget HMAC, no VPN, no Bot API — so game login no longer depends on Telegram being reachable) and a remote **bot** (Bot API long-poll + `sendMessage`) that holds **no inbound port** and dials the gateway over a reverse **mTLS bot-link** (`pkg/proto/botlink/v1`); the gateway funnels out-of-app push (fire-and-forget, at-most-once) and the backend admin broadcasts (a relay that awaits the bot's ack) down the link. The bot is Telegram-rate-limited; **one bot now**, with seams (a bot registry + `owns_updates` + command ids) for N later; **no webhook** (rejected: one URL per token, adds inbound + a static address). The **unified test contour** runs the split (the bot keeps its VPN sidecar and dials the gateway by its internal name; certs from `deploy/gen-certs.sh`). The **prod** wiring — the bot on a separate host (no VPN), the gateway bot-link port published, `PROD_` certs, an SSH deploy of both hosts together — is **built in Stage 18** (the two-host registry rollout; first cutover pending the `erudit-game.ru` DNS). | owner ad-hoc | **done** (code + test contour; prod wiring built — Stage 18) |
+| AG | Anti-abuse IP ban + honeypot/honeytoken (prod-only): a fail2ban-style in-memory `ratelimit.Banlist` keyed by client IP, fed by sustained rate-limiter rejections (the IP-keyed public/email/admin classes — the user class stays the soft-flag's concern), a **honeypot** decoy path (the contour caddy tags `/.env`, `/.git`, `/wp-*`, … with `X-Scrabble-Honeypot` and routes them to the gateway), and a **honeytoken** (`GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN`, a planted bearer). The `abuseGuard` edge middleware refuses a banned IP with **429** before any work — closing the R3 gap that the static SPA/landing was outside the token bucket. Off by default — it keys by the real client IP the shared-NAT test contour does not expose (detection still logs there); enabled in prod via `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED`. Operators see + lift bans on the console **Throttled** page; the gateway syncs its active set to the backend (`/api/v1/internal/bans/sync`, `internal/banview`) every 30 s and applies operator unbans. | owner ad-hoc | **done** (code + test contour; ban on in prod via Stage 18 — machinery built, cutover pending DNS) |
+| CM | Channel-chat moderation + promo bot: a second standalone bot in the bot container answers `/start` with a localized message + a **URL** button into the **main** bot's Mini App (`?startapp`; a `web_app` button would sign initData with the promo token, which the main validator rejects). The **main** bot gates write access in a channel's linked discussion chat. The chat **allows sending by default** and the bot only restricts (Telegram intersects the chat default with the per-user permission, so a per-user grant cannot exceed a deny-by-default group): it **mutes** a member who is not registered or is admin-suspended or holding a new **`chat_muted`** role, and **un-mutes** an eligible one it had muted, for a member currently in the chat (a `getChatMember` guard, since bots cannot list members). Eligibility = `registered AND NOT suspended AND NOT chat_muted` (the game suspension dominates), resolved once in the backend and reached two ways: the bot's `ResolveChatEligibility` on a `chat_member` event over the existing mTLS bot-link, and a backend `chat_access_changed` event → gateway → `ChatGate` command (emitted on block/unblock, a `chat_muted` change, a first registration, or a temporary-block expiry via a sweeper; idempotent). No schema change — `chat_muted` reuses `account_roles`. | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
 | → | Stage 18 — prod contour deploy | — | see [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md) |
 
 ## Key findings (these reshaped the raw list — read before starting a phase)
@@ -76,6 +85,19 @@ the edge before prod. Each phase maps back to the owner's raw pre-release TODO l
 - **Rate-abuse (TODO 8):** metric + Grafana + admin view **plus a conservative auto-flag** —
   a *soft, reversible* "suspected high-rate" marker for operator review, tunable threshold,
   **no auto-ban**.
+- **Anti-abuse IP ban (AG, owner ad-hoc):** a honeypot was considered and rejected as a *DDoS*
+  defence — it detects/deceives but does not shed volumetric load, cannot cover the real
+  endpoints, and a tarpit backfires under flood; volumetric L3/L4 is an upstream/CDN concern,
+  out of scope. The effective layer is a **temporary IP ban** (fail2ban-style) that the honeypot
+  and honeytoken merely *feed*. This does **not** reverse the TODO-8 "no auto-ban": that decision
+  governs the **account** soft-flag (still never a gate); the IP ban is a separate, IP-keyed,
+  **prod-only** layer with an **operator unban** in the console. Decisions: banlist lives in the
+  existing `ratelimit` package (smallest surface); the decoy path list is a **single source of
+  truth in the caddy** (it tags requests with a header — the gateway keeps no second list);
+  bans are in-memory + single-instance (like `ratewatch`), auto-expiring, **plus** an admin
+  console view + manual unban over a bidirectional 30 s sync (operator control = owner's choice).
+  An active-bans Grafana **gauge** was trimmed (the console view + the `gateway_abuse_banned_total`
+  counter cover it) to keep the diff focused.
 - **Open auto-match (owner ad-hoc):** a quick game **enters a real game at once and waits inside
   it** (status `open`, the opponent seat empty); a second human searching the same variant+rule
   joins it, or a robot fills it after a **90 s + random 0–90 s** wait, pushing the in-app
@@ -84,6 +106,20 @@ the edge before prod. Each phase maps back to the owner's raw pre-release TODO l
   now **DB-backed open games** — the in-memory pool, `lobby.poll` and `lobby.cancel` are gone. The
   schema is edited in the baseline (no prod data); `game_players.account_id` is nullable for the
   empty seat.
+- **Telegram egress off-host (TX, owner ad-hoc):** the driver is **removing VPN/Telegram
+  traffic from the main host** (OPSEC / one fewer analysis vector), not only notification
+  resilience. Login is local HMAC, so it stays up regardless of the bot — confirmed in the
+  code and made structural by the split. **Unified topology in code** (validator + bot, the
+  bot dialing the gateway) in **both** contours, differing only in deployment; the test bot
+  keeps its VPN sidecar. Transport = a **reverse gRPC bidi stream, mTLS, bot-dials-gateway**
+  (no inbound/static IP on the bot), reusing the push-stream pattern; **webhook rejected**
+  (one URL per token, adds inbound + a static address). Delivery **at-most-once** (a dropped
+  nudge beats a duplicate). **One bot now**, seams (registry + `owns_updates` + command ids)
+  for N later. **Cert rotation** by a scheduled CI job from a long-lived CA. **Prod deploy by
+  SSH** (pull excluded), the bot rolled **together** with the main app (the bot-link protocol
+  kept back-compatible by one version as the non-atomic-two-host-deploy safety net). The bot
+  is monitored **from the gateway** (connection + ack metrics). The bot-host token-at-rest is
+  **accepted**.
 
 ## Phases
 
@@ -275,7 +311,7 @@ Then Stage 18.
     hammer (99.97 % rejected, p99 2 ms). **Top finding:** ~14 % `transport_error` on `game.state` at 500
     players, under CPU saturation (backend/gateway/Postgres each ~1 core) and amplified by the harness's
     single shared `http2.Transport`; the harness itself peaked at 86 % of a core on the same host, so the
-    figures are pessimistic. Full trip report in [`../loadtest/REPORT-R2.md`](../loadtest/REPORT-R2.md);
+    figures are pessimistic. Full trip report in [`../loadtest/REPORT.md`](../loadtest/REPORT.md);
     it feeds R3 (h2c `MaxConcurrentStreams`/timeouts, body-size cap), R6 and R7 (per-player transports,
     separate hardware, pool/limit sizing).
   - **CI:** `./loadtest/...` added to the path filter + vet/build/test; `go.work.sum` carries the new deps.
@@ -418,7 +454,12 @@ Then Stage 18.
     one connection per player it bursts into its 2-core cap (the residual 2.49 % `transport_error`); backend
     ~0.85 core and postgres ~1.4 cores had headroom; **tempo reached its 1 GiB cap**; the backend pool sat at
     its `MaxOpenConns=25` cap (28 backends); docker logs were unbounded (~14 MiB / 30 min on the backend at
-    info). Full write-up in [`../loadtest/REPORT-R7.md`](../loadtest/REPORT-R7.md).
+    info). Full write-up in [`../loadtest/REPORT.md`](../loadtest/REPORT.md). *(Superseded in part: a
+    later pass modelling the `game.evaluate` hot path traced the gateway's CPU appetite to
+    **gateway→backend connection churn** — the default 2-idle-connection HTTP transport — not proxying
+    work. Pooling the connections cut peak gateway CPU ~7× (~1.75 → ~0.26 cores at 500 players) and
+    removed the ephemeral-port-exhaustion cliff behind the residual `transport_error`, so the gateway is
+    no longer the binding constraint — postgres is. The 3-core gateway cap below is now generous headroom.)*
   - **Round-2 tuning (owner-agreed, all in `deploy/docker-compose.yml`, no code change):** gateway **2 → 3
     cores + `GOMAXPROCS=3`**; tempo memory **1 → 2 GiB**; backend `MAX_OPEN_CONNS` **25 → 40**; a json-file
     **log-rotation** default (10m × 3) applied contour-wide via a YAML anchor (level stays info).
@@ -428,7 +469,7 @@ Then Stage 18.
     **burst** run (a single 100 → 500 jump) pegged the gateway at 3 cores (≈296 % sustained, 9.27 % error),
     confirming it is **connection-CPU-bound** — a true arrival spike is a **horizontal-scaling** lever, not
     more cores per node (recorded in the prod-sizing recommendation).
-  - **No schema change → no contour DB wipe.** Bake-back: `loadtest/REPORT-R7.md` (new), `loadtest/README.md`,
+  - **No schema change → no contour DB wipe.** Bake-back: `loadtest/REPORT.md`, `loadtest/README.md`,
     `docs/TESTING.md`, the telemetry/observability section of `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`, the repo-layout line in `CLAUDE.md`.
 
 - **UI — Tab-bar navigation redesign** (owner ad-hoc, not on the raw TODO list): drop the hamburger
@@ -520,3 +561,72 @@ Then Stage 18.
     the shared `selectMove`; the per-game intent (and the admin card) is unchanged. Tests: `robot` unit
     (taper bounds + monotonicity, never-in-endgame, determinism, ~20% distribution). Bake-back:
     `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` §7, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` (+`_ru`), `backend/README.md`, `PLAN.md` Stage 5.
+
+- **GL — Simultaneous quick-game cap** (owner ad-hoc, not on the raw TODO list): a player may hold at
+  most **10** active quick games; at the cap the lobby greys **New Game** and shows a plain notice
+  "Вы достигли лимита одновременных партий", both clearing automatically when an active game finishes.
+  - **Locked decisions (interview):** what counts = active **+** open (searching) quick games, **including
+    AI** (`vs_ai`); friend games (invitation-linked) **never** count. The backend gate refuses **all** new-game
+    creation at the cap — `lobby/enqueue` **and** `invitations` — with **409 `game_limit_reached`**; **accepting**
+    an invitation is never gated, so friend games are capped "from the other end". Delivery = a boolean
+    **`at_game_limit`** on the existing `games.list` (no per-event payload: a turn change does not move the count,
+    and the lobby already re-fetches `games.list` on entry + every game event); the first uncached lobby frame
+    defaults the button **enabled** (the backend gate is the authority).
+  - **What shipped:** `game.MaxActiveQuickGames` + `Store/Service.CountActiveQuickGames` (active/open seats, no
+    `game_invitations` row; hidden games still count → a dedicated count, not a filter over the lobby list);
+    `Server.atGameLimit`/`ensureUnderGameLimit` gating `handleEnqueue` + `handleCreateInvitation`;
+    `gameListDTO.at_game_limit`; the FB `GameList` trailing `at_game_limit` (regenerated Go + TS) threaded through
+    the gateway transcode + UI codec; `lib/model` + `lobbycache` snapshot + `Lobby.svelte` (disabled tab + a muted
+    `.limit` notice); i18n `lobby.limitReached` (en authoritative + ru).
+  - **Caveat (logged):** the gate is a pre-check, not transaction-atomic — concurrent creates from one account could
+    momentarily exceed by 1–2 (harmless soft cap; the UI disables the button regardless). Strict atomicity was judged
+    a disproportionate diff across the two create paths.
+  - **No schema change → no contour DB wipe** (only a trailing FB field, no migration). Tests: backend integration
+    (`game_limit_test.go`: count rule + HTTP gate 409 + accept bypass), server unit (error mapping), gateway
+    transcode round-trip, UI codec + lobbycache unit, e2e (`gamelimit.spec.ts`). Bake-back: `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`
+    (+`_ru`), `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` §8, `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`, `backend/README.md`.
+
+- **CM — Channel-chat moderation + promo bot** (owner ad-hoc, not on the raw TODO list):
+  - **Locked decisions (interview):** the promo bot is a **goroutine in `cmd/bot`** (its own token, no
+    bot-link); the moderated chat's default-no-send is configured by a **human** in the group settings (the
+    bot only grants, never `setChatPermissions`); a non-eligible joiner is **left muted silently**; a
+    temporary-suspension expiry is handled by a **backend sweeper** that emits the re-evaluate event; and a new
+    **`chat_muted` role** is a chat-only mute with the **game suspension dominating**
+    (`eligible = registered AND NOT suspended AND NOT chat_muted`).
+  - **Bot API reality (verified against the docs):** a cross-bot Mini App launch must be a **URL button** to the
+    main bot's `t.me/<bot>?startapp` link — a `web_app` button signs initData with the *sending* bot's token,
+    which the main validator rejects — so the promo button reuses the UI's `VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK`. `chat_member`
+    updates arrive **only** when the bot is a chat **admin** with the "Ban users" right (the client label for the
+    Bot API `can_restrict_members`) and `chat_member` is in `allowed_updates`; bots cannot list members but can
+    `getChatMember` a single user, which is the membership guard on the block/unblock path.
+  - **Wire:** `pkg/proto/botlink/v1` gains a `ChatGateCommand` in the `Command` oneof and a unary
+    `ResolveChatEligibility`; the backend gains `notify.KindChatAccessChanged` (no payload, infra-only — never an
+    out-of-app message) and an internal `POST /api/v1/internal/chat-access` resolver; the gateway resolves the
+    join (by external_id) and the event (by user_id) through it and pushes the chat-gate command fire-and-forget
+    (at-most-once, recovered by the next moderation action or a re-join).
+  - **No schema change → no contour DB wipe:** `chat_muted` is a new `account.KnownRoles` entry (the
+    `account_roles` table is data-driven). The suspension-expiry sweeper is a new `account.SuspensionSweeper`
+    (a 1-minute window, idempotent) started in `cmd/backend`, alongside the guest reaper.
+  - **Deploy:** new `TEST_`/`PROD_` `TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN` (secret), `TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME` and
+    `TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID` (variables); the promo link reuses the existing `*_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK` variable as
+    `TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK`. The bot must be promoted to admin in the real discussion group, and the group default
+    set to no-send, as part of the Stage 18 prod cutover (the test contour exercises the code path).
+  - **Bake-back:** `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` (+`_ru`), `platform/telegram/README.md`,
+    `backend/README.md`, Go Doc comments. Tests: backend resolver truth table + publish on block/unblock/role +
+    the sweeper window (unit + integration); gateway hub `ResolveChatEligibility` + the chat-gate command; bot
+    `chat_member` grant + `ApplyChatGate` getChatMember-guard; promo `/start` localization + URL button; config
+    parsing.
+  - **Post-contour-test fixes (same PR):** a live test drove three corrections. (1) **Strategy
+    inversion (the key one)** — the original "group default no-send, bot grants the eligible" cannot
+    work: Telegram intersects the chat default with each user's permission, so a per-user grant never
+    exceeds a deny-by-default group (the bot set `can_send=true` yet the user still could not write).
+    The group now **allows sending by default** and the bot only **restricts** — it mutes an ineligible
+    member (unregistered / admin-suspended / `chat_muted`) and un-mutes an eligible one it had muted,
+    acting only when the current state differs (idempotent; the bot's own change is skipped by matching
+    the actor id to the bot). A present member in a default-allow group can appear as `restricted` with
+    `is_member`, so the gate reads both. (2) **Join-before-register** — a user who joins before
+    registering is covered by no `chat_member` event, so `ProvisionTelegram` now reports first contact
+    and the Telegram auth handler emits `chat_access_changed` on it. (3) **Observability** — a startup
+    self-check logs whether the bot is an admin-with-restrict in the chat (it caught a misconfigured
+    `TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID` set to a channel id, not the discussion-group id); the per-event trace is at
+    Debug, the actual mute/unmute and warnings at Info.

backend/Dockerfile

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 # --- dictionary artifact -----------------------------------------------------
 FROM alpine:3.20 AS dawg
-ARG DICT_VERSION=v1.0.0
+ARG DICT_VERSION=v1.2.1
 RUN apk add --no-cache curl tar
 RUN mkdir -p /dawg \
  && curl -fsSL -o /tmp/dawg.tar.gz \
@@ -33,14 +33,16 @@ COPY backend ./backend
 # Reduce the workspace to what the backend needs: backend + pkg. loadtest and the
 # gateway replace it requires are not in this context, so drop both.
 RUN go work edit -dropuse=./gateway -dropuse=./platform/telegram -dropuse=./loadtest -dropreplace=scrabble/gateway@v0.0.0
-RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -trimpath -o /out/backend ./backend/cmd/backend
+# VERSION (the deploy passes the git tag) is stamped into the binary via the linker.
+ARG VERSION=dev
+RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -trimpath -ldflags "-X scrabble/pkg/version.Version=${VERSION}" -o /out/backend ./backend/cmd/backend
 
 # --- runtime -----------------------------------------------------------------
 FROM gcr.io/distroless/static-debian12:nonroot
 # Re-declare the build arg in this stage so it labels the seed dictionary. One
 # DICT_VERSION drives both the artifact the dawg stage downloads and the version
 # label the binary pins, so the resident version equals the release tag.
-ARG DICT_VERSION=v1.0.0
+ARG DICT_VERSION=v1.2.1
 COPY --from=build /out/backend /usr/local/bin/backend
 # Own the seed dictionary as the nonroot runtime user (UID 65532): a named volume
 # mounted at /opt/dawg inherits this ownership on first use, so the admin console

backend/README.md

@@ -33,10 +33,22 @@ real game seating the caller with an **empty opponent seat** (status `open`) or,
 another player already waits for the same variant and per-turn word rule, seats the
 caller into that open game and starts it — and
 friend-game invitations (invite → accept, starting a 2–4 player game once every
-invitee accepts). `internal/social` owns the friend graph (request/accept),
+invitee accepts). A **simultaneous-game cap** (`game.MaxActiveQuickGames` = 10) limits a
+player's active quick games — status `active`/`open`, excluding invitation-linked friend
+games (`game.Service.CountActiveQuickGames`); the server refuses `lobby/enqueue` and
+`invitations` creation with **409 `game_limit_reached`** at the cap (accepting an invitation
+is exempt), and the `games.list` response carries an `at_game_limit` flag for the lobby.
+`internal/social` owns the friend graph (request/accept),
 per-user blocks, and per-game chat with nudges folded in as a message kind; chat
 messages are length-capped, content-filtered (no links/emails/phone numbers,
-including obfuscated forms) and stored with the sender's IP. `internal/account`
+including obfuscated forms) and stored with the sender's IP. Each message carries an
+`unread_seats` read bitmask (a set bit per recipient seat still to read it); `MarkRead`
+clears a reader's bit when they open the move history or chat, and a wired `NudgeClearer`
+clears a nudge when its recipient moves — both record the publish-to-read latency.
+A friend request (or block) aimed at a **disguised pooled robot** is recorded per game+seat
+in `robot_friend_requests` / `robot_blocks`, never against the shared robot account; a
+background reaper drops a robot friend request once its game has been finished for **7 days**.
+`internal/account`
 gains profile editing and the email confirm-code flow (a `Mailer` seam: SMTP or a
 development log mailer). The engine now also handles **multi-player drop-out**: in
 a 3–4 player game a resignation or timeout drops that seat and the rest play on
@@ -59,7 +71,10 @@ win (≈ 40%), targets a small score margin — with an occasional off-strategy
 none as the bag empties — and times its moves with a move-number-aware
 right-skewed delay (quick openings, long endgames), a night-sleep window anchored to the opponent's timezone, and nudge
 behaviour — all derived deterministically from the game seed, so it keeps no extra
-state. A background **reaper** seats a pooled robot (matching the game's language) in any open
+state. In a dead-drawn endgame — the last two journal moves are both passes, so the robot is bound
+to pass again — it shortens that delay to a `[0.8, 1.5]×` band around the human's last-move think
+time (the gap between the last two moves), clamped to `[30 s, 8 min]` and `min`-ed with the normal
+delay, so a decided game is not dragged out while the robot never moves slower than usual. A background **reaper** seats a pooled robot (matching the game's language) in any open
 game whose wait window — a fixed **90 s** plus a random **0–90 s** (so **90–180 s**) — has
 elapsed, and the waiting starter is told an opponent took the seat by an in-app
 **opponent_joined** push (carrying their refreshed game state) that fills the opponent card and
@@ -88,9 +103,16 @@ second listener — `internal/pushgrpc`, a gRPC server (`BACKEND_GRPC_ADDR`) str
 live events (your-turn, opponent-moved, chat, nudge, match-found, notify) to the
 gateway. The gateway-only `POST /api/v1/internal/push-target` (a user's
 Telegram `external_id`, language and `notifications_in_app_only` flag) lets the gateway
-route out-of-app push to the Telegram connector; the Telegram login
+route out-of-app push to the Telegram bot over the gateway bot-link; the Telegram login
 seeds a new account's language and display name from the launch fields, and the
 `accounts.notifications_in_app_only` flag (default true).
+The gateway-only `POST /api/v1/internal/chat-access` resolves a Telegram identity (the
+bot's join-time query) or an account id (a `chat_access_changed` event) to its
+**moderated-chat write eligibility** — `registered AND NOT suspended AND NOT chat_muted`.
+That event is emitted on an admin block/unblock, a `chat_muted` role grant/revoke, or — via
+the `account.SuspensionSweeper` started in `cmd/backend` — a temporary block lapsing;
+`chat_muted` is an `account.KnownRoles` entry, a chat-only mute distinct from the game
+suspension (which dominates it).
 `accounts.is_guest` marks an ephemeral guest — a durable row
 with no identity, excluded from statistics. The server-rendered
 **admin console** at `/_gm` (`internal/adminconsole` + `internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go`;
@@ -101,16 +123,15 @@ pipeline, the online **dictionary update** (upload the `scrabble-dawg-vX.Y.Z.tar
 archive, preview the per-variant word diff, then install + activate — `internal/dictadmin` +
 `engine.DiffWords` / `Registry.LoadAvailable`, written to per-version subdirectories of the
 `BACKEND_DICT_DIR` volume with the active version persisted in `dictionary_state`), and operator **broadcasts** via a
-backend Telegram-connector client (`internal/connector`, `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR`) — each
-broadcast picks the delivering bot by an operator-chosen language. `accounts.service_language`
-holds the language tag of the bot a Telegram
-user last signed in through, written on every login and returned by
-`/internal/push-target` (falling back to `preferred_language`) so out-of-app push routes
-to the right bot. The console also manages the **advertising banner** (`/_gm/banners` +
+backend client (`internal/connector`, `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR`) that calls the gateway's
+**bot-link relay** — each broadcast renders through the bot in an operator-chosen language
+and the relay awaits the bot's delivery ack. There is one bot,
+so `/internal/push-target` returns the recipient's `preferred_language` as the render
+language for out-of-app push; no per-bot routing remains. The console also manages the **advertising banner** (`/_gm/banners` +
 `/_gm/banner-settings`, `internal/ads`): operator campaigns with a percent weight, an optional
 window and bilingual messages, plus the global display timings. `GET /api/v1/user/profile` attaches
 the resolved, weighted campaign feed for an **eligible** viewer (`!paid_account && hint_balance == 0
-&& !no_banner` role, the message language picked by `service_language`); changing those inputs
+&& !no_banner` role, the message language picked by `preferred_language`); changing those inputs
 publishes a `notify` `banner` re-poll signal so the client shows/hides it in place. The shared wire
 contracts live in the sibling [`../pkg`](../pkg) module.
 
@@ -134,6 +155,13 @@ rejected calls within `BACKEND_HIGHRATE_FLAG_WINDOW` gets the soft, reversible
 `accounts.flagged_high_rate_at` marker (set-once; a badge in the user list and a
 **Clear** action on the user card; never an automatic ban).
 
+The gateway also syncs its active IP bans (prod-only — see ARCHITECTURE §11) to
+`POST /api/v1/internal/bans/sync`; `internal/banview` mirrors them for the console's
+**Throttled** page (an **Active IP bans** panel with an **Unban** action) and returns
+the operator's pending unbans in the response, which the gateway applies on its next
+sync. Like `ratewatch` it is in-memory and resets on restart — the enforced ban lives
+in the gateway, not here.
+
 ## Package layout
 
 ```
@@ -157,8 +185,9 @@ internal/lobby/      # auto-match (DB-backed open games + robot substitution) +
 internal/robot/      # human-like robot opponent: account pool, seed-derived strategy, move driver
 internal/adminconsole/ # server-rendered admin console (Go templates + embedded CSS, view models), served at /_gm
 internal/ads/        # advertising banner: campaigns + bilingual messages + display timings, weighted-rotation feed (ActiveSet)
-internal/connector/  # backend gRPC client to the Telegram connector (operator broadcasts)
+internal/connector/  # backend gRPC client to the gateway bot-link relay (operator broadcasts)
 internal/ratewatch/  # gateway rate-limit reports: episode window for the console + the high-rate auto-flag
+internal/banview/    # gateway active-ban mirror: the console's Active IP bans panel + the operator unban backchannel
 ```
 
 ## Configuration (environment)
@@ -177,7 +206,7 @@ internal/ratewatch/  # gateway rate-limit reports: episode window for the consol
 | `BACKEND_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER` | `none` | `none`, `stdout` or `otlp` (gRPC; endpoint from the standard `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_*`). |
 | `BACKEND_OTEL_METRICS_EXPORTER` | `none` | `none`, `stdout` or `otlp`. |
 | `BACKEND_DICT_DIR` | — | **Required.** Directory of committed `.dawg` dictionaries. |
-| `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION` | `v1` | Dictionary version new games pin. |
+| `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION` | `v1` | Version label for the flat dictionary dir. Recorded in a `.seed_version` marker on first boot and authoritative after: on a seeded volume a changed value is ignored (it seeds only a fresh volume) — the seed-drift guard (ARCHITECTURE.md §5). |
 | `BACKEND_GAME_TIMEOUT_SWEEP_INTERVAL` | `1m` | How often the turn-timeout sweeper runs. |
 | `BACKEND_GAME_CACHE_TTL` | `24h` | Idle window before a live game is evicted from cache. |
 | `BACKEND_LOBBY_ROBOT_WAIT` | `10s` | Auto-match wait before a robot is substituted for a missing human. |
@@ -188,7 +217,7 @@ internal/ratewatch/  # gateway rate-limit reports: episode window for the consol
 | `BACKEND_SMTP_USERNAME` | — | SMTP user; empty relays without authentication. |
 | `BACKEND_SMTP_PASSWORD` | — | SMTP password. |
 | `BACKEND_SMTP_FROM` | `no-reply@localhost` | Envelope/From address for confirm-codes. |
-| `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR` | — | Telegram connector gRPC address for admin-console operator broadcasts. Empty disables broadcasts. |
+| `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR` | — | the gateway bot-link relay gRPC address for admin-console operator broadcasts. Empty disables broadcasts. |
 | `BACKEND_GUEST_REAP_INTERVAL` | `1h` | How often the abandoned-guest reaper sweeps. |
 | `BACKEND_GUEST_RETENTION` | `720h` | Account age past which a guest with no game seat is deleted. |
 | `BACKEND_HIGHRATE_FLAG_THRESHOLD` | `1000` | Gateway-reported rejected calls within the window past which an account is soft-flagged. |
@@ -199,7 +228,7 @@ internal/ratewatch/  # gateway rate-limit reports: episode window for the consol
 ```sh
 docker run -d --name scrabble-pg -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=dev -p 5432:5432 postgres:17-alpine
 # DAWGs: extract the dictionary release artifact (or point at a local scrabble-solver/dawg):
-mkdir -p /tmp/dawg && curl -fsSL https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/developer/scrabble-dictionary/releases/download/v1.0.0/scrabble-dawg-v1.0.0.tar.gz | tar xz -C /tmp/dawg
+mkdir -p /tmp/dawg && curl -fsSL https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/developer/scrabble-dictionary/releases/download/v1.2.1/scrabble-dawg-v1.2.1.tar.gz | tar xz -C /tmp/dawg
 BACKEND_POSTGRES_DSN='postgres://postgres:dev@localhost:5432/postgres?search_path=backend&sslmode=disable' \
   BACKEND_DICT_DIR=/tmp/dawg \
   GOPRIVATE='gitea.iliadenisov.ru/*' \
@@ -238,7 +267,14 @@ local solver co-development you may add a temporary replace — see `go.work`).
 from the [`scrabble-dictionary`](https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/developer/scrabble-dictionary)
 repo (one semver per set); the engine loads them by `(variant, dict_version)` from
 `BACKEND_DICT_DIR`. The backend loads them at startup as a hard dependency
-(a missing dictionary aborts the boot).
+(a missing dictionary aborts the boot). The flat directory is the seed version,
+labelled `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION`; uploaded versions live in `<version>/`
+subdirectories the admin console writes and a restart re-loads. Because the DAWGs
+carry no embedded version, the first boot records the seed in a `.seed_version`
+marker that is authoritative after: on a seeded volume a changed `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION`
+is ignored (it seeds only a fresh volume) — the seed-drift guard — so a live contour's
+dictionary is changed through the console, never by bumping the build seed
+(ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
 
 ## Tests
 

backend/cmd/backend/main.go

@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/accountmerge"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/ads"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/banview"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/config"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/connector"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
@@ -159,6 +161,15 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 		zap.Duration("interval", cfg.GuestReapInterval),
 		zap.Duration("retention", cfg.GuestRetention))
 
+	// Re-evaluate moderated-chat write access when a temporary block self-expires:
+	// no operator action fires then, so the sweeper emits the chat-access-changed
+	// event for lapsed blocks and the gateway re-pushes the chat-gate command.
+	chatSweeper := account.NewSuspensionSweeper(accounts, func(id uuid.UUID) {
+		hub.Publish(notify.ChatAccessChanged(id))
+	}, logger)
+	go chatSweeper.Run(ctx)
+	logger.Info("suspension expiry sweeper started", zap.Duration("interval", chatSweeper.Interval()))
+
 	// Lobby & social domains. Their REST and stream surface lives in the gateway,
 	// so they are handed to the server (like the route groups) for the handlers.
 	mailer := newMailer(cfg.SMTP, logger)
@@ -169,6 +180,15 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	socialSvc := social.NewService(social.NewStore(db), accounts, games)
 	socialSvc.SetNotifier(hub)
 	socialSvc.SetMetrics(tel.MeterProvider().Meter("scrabble/backend/social"))
+	// A nudge the recipient answered by moving is marked read on the move path.
+	games.SetNudgeClearer(socialSvc.ClearNudges)
+	// Reap per-game disguised-robot friend requests once their game is long finished
+	// (the robot ignores them; the row only pins the in-game "request sent" state).
+	robotReqReaper := social.NewRobotFriendRequestReaper(socialSvc, logger)
+	go robotReqReaper.Run(ctx)
+	logger.Info("robot friend request reaper started",
+		zap.Duration("interval", robotReqReaper.Interval()),
+		zap.Duration("retention", robotReqReaper.Retention()))
 	feedbackSvc := feedback.NewService(feedback.NewStore(db), accounts)
 	feedbackSvc.SetNotifier(hub)
 
@@ -187,6 +207,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 
 	matchmaker := lobby.NewMatchmaker(games, robots, cfg.Lobby.RobotWait, cfg.Lobby.RobotWaitJitter, logger)
 	matchmaker.SetNotifier(hub)
+	matchmaker.SetBlocker(socialSvc)
 	go matchmaker.RunReaper(ctx, cfg.Lobby.ReaperInterval)
 	invitations := lobby.NewInvitationService(lobby.NewStore(db), games, accounts, socialSvc)
 	invitations.SetNotifier(hub)
@@ -201,6 +222,10 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 		zap.Int("flag_threshold", cfg.RateWatch.FlagThreshold),
 		zap.Duration("flag_window", cfg.RateWatch.FlagWindow))
 
+	// Ban observability: mirror the gateway's active IP bans for the admin console's
+	// active-bans panel and collect operator unban requests.
+	banView := banview.New()
+
 	// Advertising-banner domain: campaign rotation feeding the profile.get banner
 	// block and the banner admin console section.
 	adsSvc := ads.NewService(ads.NewStore(db))
@@ -223,6 +248,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 		DictDir:       cfg.Game.DictDir,
 		Connector:     conn,
 		RateWatch:     rateWatch,
+		BanView:       banView,
 		Ads:           adsSvc,
 		Notifier:      hub,
 	})

backend/internal/account/account.go

@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ type Account struct {
 	HintBalance         int
 	BlockChat           bool
 	BlockFriendRequests bool
-	// ServiceLanguage is the language tag (en/ru) of the bot the account last
-	// authenticated through (its last Telegram ValidateInitData); it routes the
-	// account's out-of-app push back through the right bot. Empty when the account
-	// has never signed in through a tagged bot. Distinct from PreferredLanguage (the
-	// interface language) and from a game's variant language.
-	ServiceLanguage string
+	// VariantPreferences is the set of game variants (engine.Variant stable labels:
+	// "scrabble_en", "scrabble_ru", "erudit_ru") the player is willing to be matched
+	// into. It gates the New Game picker, the matchmaker and the friend-invite the
+	// player creates; an invited friend may still accept any variant. A new account
+	// defaults to Erudit only. Never empty — enforced on update and by a DB check.
+	VariantPreferences []string
 	// IsGuest marks an ephemeral guest account: a durable row with no identity,
 	// excluded from statistics, friends and history.
 	IsGuest bool
@@ -151,14 +151,26 @@ func (s *Store) ProvisionRobot(ctx context.Context, externalID, displayName stri
 	return modelToAccount(row), nil
 }
 
-// ProvisionTelegram provisions (or finds) the account bound to a Telegram
-// identity. On first contact only, it seeds the new account's preferred language
-// from the Telegram client languageCode (when it maps to a supported language) and
-// its display name sanitized from firstName (falling back to username, then to a
-// generated placeholder when neither yields any letters); an already-existing
-// account is returned unchanged, so a later profile edit is never overwritten.
-func (s *Store) ProvisionTelegram(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, username, firstName string) (Account, error) {
-	return s.provision(ctx, KindTelegram, externalID, telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName))
+// ProvisionTelegram provisions (or finds) the account bound to a Telegram identity,
+// reporting whether this call created it (first contact). On first contact only, it
+// seeds the new account's preferred language from the Telegram client languageCode
+// (when it maps to a supported language) and its display name sanitized from firstName
+// (falling back to username, then to a generated placeholder when neither yields any
+// letters); an already-existing account is returned unchanged, so a later profile edit
+// is never overwritten. The created flag lets the auth handler re-evaluate moderated-
+// chat write access on first registration — the path of a user who joined the chat
+// before registering, whom no chat_member event covers.
+func (s *Store) ProvisionTelegram(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, username, firstName string) (Account, bool, error) {
+	// Pre-check whether the identity already exists so the caller can act on first
+	// contact. A race with a concurrent create only over- or under-reports created for
+	// that one call, which the idempotent chat-access re-evaluation tolerates.
+	_, err := s.findByIdentity(ctx, KindTelegram, externalID)
+	created := errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound)
+	if err != nil && !created {
+		return Account{}, false, err
+	}
+	acc, err := s.provision(ctx, KindTelegram, externalID, telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName))
+	return acc, created, err
 }
 
 // provision finds the account for (kind, externalID) or creates it with seed,
@@ -303,6 +315,14 @@ func (s *Store) CountAccounts(ctx context.Context) (int, error) {
 	return int(dest.Count), nil
 }
 
+// AccountByIdentity returns the account bound to (kind, externalID), or ErrNotFound
+// when none exists. Unlike ProvisionByIdentity it never creates one: the chat-access
+// resolver uses it to tell a registered Telegram user (eligible to be granted chat
+// write access) from an unregistered one (left muted).
+func (s *Store) AccountByIdentity(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string) (Account, error) {
+	return s.findByIdentity(ctx, kind, externalID)
+}
+
 // findByIdentity joins identities to accounts and returns the matching account,
 // or ErrNotFound.
 func (s *Store) findByIdentity(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string) (Account, error) {
@@ -491,36 +511,12 @@ func (s *Store) ClearHighRateFlag(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// SetServiceLanguage records the service language (en/ru) of the bot a Telegram
-// user authenticated through. It is called on every Telegram login — new and
-// existing accounts — so it tracks the bot the user last came through (last-login-
-// wins), and the out-of-app push routes by it. It is a no-op for an empty language
-// (a non-Telegram login carries none) and does not bump updated_at (an infra
-// routing field, not a user profile edit).
-func (s *Store) SetServiceLanguage(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, language string) error {
-	if language == "" {
-		return nil
-	}
-	stmt := table.Accounts.
-		UPDATE(table.Accounts.ServiceLanguage).
-		SET(postgres.String(language)).
-		WHERE(table.Accounts.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id)))
-	if _, err := stmt.ExecContext(ctx, s.db); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("account: set service language %s: %w", id, err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // modelToAccount projects a generated model row into the public Account struct.
 func modelToAccount(row model.Accounts) Account {
 	var mergedInto uuid.UUID
 	if row.MergedInto != nil {
 		mergedInto = *row.MergedInto
 	}
-	var serviceLanguage string
-	if row.ServiceLanguage != nil {
-		serviceLanguage = *row.ServiceLanguage
-	}
 	var flaggedHighRateAt time.Time
 	if row.FlaggedHighRateAt != nil {
 		flaggedHighRateAt = *row.FlaggedHighRateAt
@@ -529,7 +525,7 @@ func modelToAccount(row model.Accounts) Account {
 		ID:                     row.AccountID,
 		DisplayName:            row.DisplayName,
 		PreferredLanguage:      row.PreferredLanguage,
-		ServiceLanguage:        serviceLanguage,
+		VariantPreferences:     []string(row.VariantPreferences),
 		TimeZone:               row.TimeZone,
 		AwayStart:              row.AwayStart,
 		AwayEnd:                row.AwayEnd,

backend/internal/account/profile.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-jet/jet/v2/postgres"
 	"github.com/go-jet/jet/v2/qrm"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/lib/pq"
 
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table"
@@ -58,6 +59,46 @@ type ProfileUpdate struct {
 	BlockChat              bool
 	BlockFriendRequests    bool
 	NotificationsInAppOnly bool
+	// VariantPreferences is the set of game variants the player allows themselves to
+	// be matched into (engine.Variant stable labels). UpdateProfile cleans it to a
+	// deduplicated, canonically ordered subset of the known variants and rejects an
+	// empty set.
+	VariantPreferences []string
+}
+
+// knownVariants is the closed set of game-variant labels (engine.Variant stable
+// labels) a profile's variant preferences may contain. It lives here so the store
+// does not depend on the engine package; the server handler additionally validates
+// against engine.ParseVariant, and a DB check enforces the same subset.
+var knownVariants = map[string]bool{"erudit_ru": true, "scrabble_ru": true, "scrabble_en": true}
+
+// canonicalVariantOrder is the deterministic order variant preferences are stored
+// in (Erudit, Russian Scrabble, English), independent of the client's order.
+var canonicalVariantOrder = []string{"erudit_ru", "scrabble_ru", "scrabble_en"}
+
+// validateVariantPreferences cleans a profile's variant-preference set: it drops
+// duplicates, rejects an unknown label or an empty set (ErrInvalidProfile) and
+// returns the preferences in canonicalVariantOrder so the stored value is
+// deterministic regardless of the order the client sent.
+func validateVariantPreferences(prefs []string) ([]string, error) {
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(prefs))
+	for _, p := range prefs {
+		p = strings.TrimSpace(p)
+		if !knownVariants[p] {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: variant preference %q", ErrInvalidProfile, p)
+		}
+		seen[p] = true
+	}
+	if len(seen) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: variant preferences must not be empty", ErrInvalidProfile)
+	}
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(seen))
+	for _, v := range canonicalVariantOrder {
+		if seen[v] {
+			out = append(out, v)
+		}
+	}
+	return out, nil
 }
 
 // UpdateProfile validates and overwrites the editable fields of the account, then
@@ -79,17 +120,26 @@ func (s *Store) UpdateProfile(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, p ProfileUpdate
 	if err := validateAwayWindow(p.AwayStart, p.AwayEnd); err != nil {
 		return Account{}, err
 	}
+	prefs, err := validateVariantPreferences(p.VariantPreferences)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Account{}, err
+	}
 
 	stmt := table.Accounts.UPDATE(
 		table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.PreferredLanguage, table.Accounts.TimeZone,
 		table.Accounts.AwayStart, table.Accounts.AwayEnd,
 		table.Accounts.BlockChat, table.Accounts.BlockFriendRequests,
-		table.Accounts.NotificationsInAppOnly, table.Accounts.UpdatedAt,
+		table.Accounts.NotificationsInAppOnly, table.Accounts.VariantPreferences,
+		table.Accounts.UpdatedAt,
 	).SET(
 		postgres.String(name), postgres.String(lang), postgres.String(tz),
 		postgres.TimeT(p.AwayStart), postgres.TimeT(p.AwayEnd),
 		postgres.Bool(p.BlockChat), postgres.Bool(p.BlockFriendRequests),
-		postgres.Bool(p.NotificationsInAppOnly), postgres.TimestampzT(time.Now().UTC()),
+		postgres.Bool(p.NotificationsInAppOnly),
+		// prefs are validated against the closed knownVariants set; bind as a text[]
+		// parameter (lib/pq encodes the array, the cast pins the column type).
+		postgres.Raw("#variant_prefs::text[]", map[string]interface{}{"#variant_prefs": pq.StringArray(prefs)}),
+		postgres.TimestampzT(time.Now().UTC()),
 	).WHERE(table.Accounts.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id))).
 		RETURNING(table.Accounts.AllColumns)
 

backend/internal/account/profile_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package account
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 // offset/IANA timezone), not just their unit tests in validate_test.go.
 func TestUpdateProfileValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	s := &Store{}
-	base := ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Kaya", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC"}
+	base := ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Kaya", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"}}
 	hm := func(h, m int) time.Time { return time.Date(0, 1, 1, h, m, 0, 0, time.UTC) }
 	tests := []struct {
 		name string
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@ func TestUpdateProfileValidation(t *testing.T) {
 		{"over-long name", func(p *ProfileUpdate) { p.DisplayName = strings.Repeat("x", maxDisplayName+1) }},
 		{"bad name layout", func(p *ProfileUpdate) { p.DisplayName = "Bad__Name" }},
 		{"away over 12h", func(p *ProfileUpdate) { p.AwayStart, p.AwayEnd = hm(8, 0), hm(21, 0) }},
+		{"empty variant preferences", func(p *ProfileUpdate) { p.VariantPreferences = nil }},
+		{"unknown variant preference", func(p *ProfileUpdate) { p.VariantPreferences = []string{"chess"} }},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -39,3 +42,22 @@ func TestUpdateProfileValidation(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestValidateVariantPreferences checks the cleaning of a profile's variant set:
+// duplicates collapse, the result is canonically ordered (Erudit, Russian Scrabble,
+// English) regardless of input order, and an empty or unknown set is rejected.
+func TestValidateVariantPreferences(t *testing.T) {
+	got, err := validateVariantPreferences([]string{"scrabble_en", "erudit_ru", "scrabble_en"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("validate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if want := []string{"erudit_ru", "scrabble_en"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("got %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+	if _, err := validateVariantPreferences(nil); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidProfile) {
+		t.Fatalf("empty err = %v, want ErrInvalidProfile", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := validateVariantPreferences([]string{"chess"}); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidProfile) {
+		t.Fatalf("unknown err = %v, want ErrInvalidProfile", err)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/account/roles.go

@@ -24,11 +24,19 @@ const (
 	// unconditionally, overriding the usual eligibility (a free account with an
 	// empty hint wallet otherwise sees it). See internal/ads.
 	RoleNoBanner = "no_banner"
+
+	// RoleChatMuted forbids the account from writing in the moderated Telegram
+	// discussion chat, without otherwise restricting the game (the chat-only
+	// counterpart to a full account suspension). It is one input to the chat-access
+	// gate; an active admin suspension mutes the player regardless, so this role only
+	// matters for an account that is not suspended. Granting or revoking it re-pushes
+	// the chat-gate command for a member currently in the chat.
+	RoleChatMuted = "chat_muted"
 )
 
 // KnownRoles is the set of roles the console may grant or revoke; an operator
 // cannot assign an unrecognised role.
-var KnownRoles = []string{RoleFeedbackBanned, RoleNoBanner}
+var KnownRoles = []string{RoleFeedbackBanned, RoleNoBanner, RoleChatMuted}
 
 // IsKnownRole reports whether role is a recognised account role.
 func IsKnownRole(role string) bool {

backend/internal/account/stats.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package account
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
@@ -13,16 +14,43 @@ import (
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table"
 )
 
+// BestMoveTile is one letter cell of a best-move word: its concrete letter (the
+// designated letter for a blank), its tile point value (0 for a blank) and whether it
+// is a blank. It is the persisted/served shape: the game domain marshals a slice of
+// these into account_best_move.tiles, and the statistics screen renders them as game
+// tiles without consulting the variant's alphabet.
+type BestMoveTile struct {
+	Letter string `json:"letter"`
+	Value  int    `json:"value"`
+	Blank  bool   `json:"blank"`
+}
+
+// BestMove is an account's highest-scoring single play within one game variant: the
+// move's total score (every word it formed plus the all-tiles bonus, matching
+// MaxWordPoints) and its main word as an ordered slice of tiles.
+type BestMove struct {
+	Variant string
+	Score   int
+	Tiles   []BestMoveTile
+}
+
 // Stats is a durable account's lifetime record, written by the game domain on each
 // finish and read for the player's statistics screen. MaxGamePoints is the best
 // single game's total; MaxWordPoints is the best single move's score (which already
-// includes every word it formed plus the all-tiles bonus).
+// includes every word it formed plus the all-tiles bonus). BestMoves holds the same
+// best move broken down per variant, with the word itself — empty for an account with
+// no recorded play yet, and never carrying a variant the account has not played.
 type Stats struct {
 	Wins          int
 	Losses        int
 	Draws         int
 	MaxGamePoints int
 	MaxWordPoints int
+	// Moves is the lifetime count of the account's plays (tile placements); HintsUsed is the
+	// lifetime count of hints taken. The statistics screen shows the hint share (HintsUsed / Moves).
+	Moves     int
+	HintsUsed int
+	BestMoves []BestMove
 }
 
 // GetStats returns the lifetime statistics for id. An account with no account_stats
@@ -40,11 +68,48 @@ func (s *Store) GetStats(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (Stats, error) {
 		}
 		return Stats{}, fmt.Errorf("account: get stats %s: %w", id, err)
 	}
+	best, err := s.bestMoves(ctx, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Stats{}, err
+	}
 	return Stats{
 		Wins:          int(row.Wins),
 		Losses:        int(row.Losses),
 		Draws:         int(row.Draws),
 		MaxGamePoints: int(row.MaxGamePoints),
 		MaxWordPoints: int(row.MaxWordPoints),
+		Moves:         int(row.Moves),
+		HintsUsed:     int(row.HintsUsed),
+		BestMoves:     best,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+// bestMoves reads an account's per-variant best moves, ordered by variant for a stable
+// response. Each row's tiles JSON is decoded into the served BestMoveTile slice. An
+// account with no recorded play yields an empty (nil) slice rather than an error.
+func (s *Store) bestMoves(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) ([]BestMove, error) {
+	stmt := postgres.SELECT(
+		table.AccountBestMove.Variant,
+		table.AccountBestMove.Score,
+		table.AccountBestMove.Tiles,
+	).
+		FROM(table.AccountBestMove).
+		WHERE(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id))).
+		ORDER_BY(table.AccountBestMove.Variant.ASC())
+	var rows []model.AccountBestMove
+	if err := stmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &rows); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, qrm.ErrNoRows) {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("account: best moves %s: %w", id, err)
+	}
+	out := make([]BestMove, 0, len(rows))
+	for _, r := range rows {
+		var tiles []BestMoveTile
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(r.Tiles), &tiles); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("account: decode best-move tiles %s/%s: %w", id, r.Variant, err)
+		}
+		out = append(out, BestMove{Variant: r.Variant, Score: int(r.Score), Tiles: tiles})
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}

backend/internal/account/suspension.go

@@ -161,6 +161,31 @@ func (s *Store) queryCurrentSuspension(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID,
 	return modelToSuspension(row), true, nil
 }
 
+// SuspensionsExpiredBetween returns the distinct account ids whose temporary block lapsed in the
+// half-open window (since, until]: a non-lifted suspension with a blocked_until in that range. The
+// chat-access sweeper uses it to re-evaluate chat write access when a temporary block self-expires,
+// since no operator action fires then. An account that still has another active block may be
+// included; the eligibility resolver returns the true state, so emitting for it is harmless.
+func (s *Store) SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx context.Context, since, until time.Time) ([]uuid.UUID, error) {
+	rows, err := s.db.QueryContext(ctx,
+		`SELECT DISTINCT account_id FROM backend.account_suspensions
+		 WHERE lifted_at IS NULL AND blocked_until > $1 AND blocked_until <= $2`,
+		since.UTC(), until.UTC())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("account: suspensions expired between: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	var out []uuid.UUID
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var id uuid.UUID
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("account: scan expired suspension: %w", err)
+		}
+		out = append(out, id)
+	}
+	return out, rows.Err()
+}
+
 // invalidateSuspension drops the account's cached block so the next CurrentSuspension re-reads it.
 // Called after Suspend and LiftSuspension.
 func (s *Store) invalidateSuspension(accountID uuid.UUID) {

backend/internal/account/suspension_sweeper.go

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package account
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+)
+
+// suspensionSweepInterval is how often the sweeper re-checks for temporary blocks
+// that lapsed. A minute is well under the coarsest block grain (operators pick day
+// presets) while keeping the query trivial.
+const suspensionSweepInterval = time.Minute
+
+// suspensionExpiryQuerier is the slice of the account store the sweeper depends on:
+// the accounts whose temporary block lapsed in a window. *Store satisfies it; a fake
+// drives the sweeper's unit tests.
+type suspensionExpiryQuerier interface {
+	SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx context.Context, since, until time.Time) ([]uuid.UUID, error)
+}
+
+// SuspensionSweeper re-evaluates chat write access when a temporary block self-
+// expires. No operator action fires on expiry — the suspension gate just re-reads
+// the wall clock — so without this a temporarily blocked player would stay muted in
+// the moderated discussion chat after their block lapsed. Each tick it finds blocks
+// that expired since the previous tick and calls onExpire for the affected accounts;
+// onExpire is wired to publish the chat-access-changed event, after which the gateway
+// re-resolves the true eligibility. A liberal call (an account that still has another
+// active block) is therefore harmless. The window is in-memory, so a block that
+// expires while the process is down is not re-granted until the next operator action
+// or the player rejoins — an accepted best-effort gap.
+type SuspensionSweeper struct {
+	store    suspensionExpiryQuerier
+	onExpire func(accountID uuid.UUID)
+	log      *zap.Logger
+	// since is the upper bound of the previous swept window; the next sweep covers
+	// (since, now]. It advances only on a successful query, so a failed tick retries
+	// the same window rather than dropping expiries.
+	since time.Time
+}
+
+// NewSuspensionSweeper builds the sweeper over the account store, the per-account
+// expiry callback (publishing the chat-access-changed event) and a logger. The first
+// window opens at construction time, so blocks that lapsed earlier are not re-emitted.
+func NewSuspensionSweeper(store *Store, onExpire func(accountID uuid.UUID), log *zap.Logger) *SuspensionSweeper {
+	if log == nil {
+		log = zap.NewNop()
+	}
+	return &SuspensionSweeper{store: store, onExpire: onExpire, log: log, since: time.Now().UTC()}
+}
+
+// Interval reports the sweep cadence, for the startup log line.
+func (w *SuspensionSweeper) Interval() time.Duration { return suspensionSweepInterval }
+
+// Run sweeps every Interval until ctx is cancelled.
+func (w *SuspensionSweeper) Run(ctx context.Context) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(suspensionSweepInterval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			w.sweep(ctx)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// sweep emits a chat-access-changed signal for every account whose temporary block
+// lapsed in (since, now], then advances the window. On a query error it keeps the
+// window so the next tick retries it.
+func (w *SuspensionSweeper) sweep(ctx context.Context) {
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+	ids, err := w.store.SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx, w.since, now)
+	if err != nil {
+		w.log.Warn("suspension expiry sweep failed", zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+	w.since = now
+	for _, id := range ids {
+		w.onExpire(id)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/account/suspension_sweeper_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package account
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+)
+
+// fakeExpiryQuerier records the `since` bound of each call and replays a scripted
+// result/error per call, so the sweeper's window and dispatch logic is testable
+// without a database.
+type fakeExpiryQuerier struct {
+	results [][]uuid.UUID
+	errs    []error
+	sinces  []time.Time
+	idx     int
+}
+
+func (f *fakeExpiryQuerier) SuspensionsExpiredBetween(_ context.Context, since, _ time.Time) ([]uuid.UUID, error) {
+	f.sinces = append(f.sinces, since)
+	i := f.idx
+	f.idx++
+	if i < len(f.errs) && f.errs[i] != nil {
+		return nil, f.errs[i]
+	}
+	if i < len(f.results) {
+		return f.results[i], nil
+	}
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func newSweeper(store suspensionExpiryQuerier, onExpire func(uuid.UUID)) *SuspensionSweeper {
+	return &SuspensionSweeper{
+		store:    store,
+		onExpire: onExpire,
+		log:      zap.NewNop(),
+		since:    time.Now().Add(-time.Minute).UTC(),
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSuspensionSweeperDispatchesAndAdvances(t *testing.T) {
+	id1, id2 := uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	fake := &fakeExpiryQuerier{results: [][]uuid.UUID{{id1, id2}, nil}}
+	var got []uuid.UUID
+	w := newSweeper(fake, func(id uuid.UUID) { got = append(got, id) })
+
+	first := w.since
+	w.sweep(context.Background())
+	assert.Equal(t, []uuid.UUID{id1, id2}, got, "every expired account is dispatched")
+	assert.True(t, w.since.After(first), "the window advances on success")
+
+	// A second sweep opens the next window at the previous upper bound.
+	prev := w.since
+	w.sweep(context.Background())
+	require.Len(t, fake.sinces, 2)
+	assert.True(t, fake.sinces[1].After(fake.sinces[0]), "consecutive windows are contiguous and forward")
+	assert.True(t, fake.sinces[1].Equal(prev), "the next window starts at the previous upper bound")
+}
+
+func TestSuspensionSweeperKeepsWindowOnError(t *testing.T) {
+	fake := &fakeExpiryQuerier{errs: []error{errors.New("db down")}}
+	w := newSweeper(fake, func(uuid.UUID) { t.Fatal("onExpire must not run when the query fails") })
+
+	before := w.since
+	w.sweep(context.Background())
+	assert.True(t, w.since.Equal(before), "the window is retained on error so the next tick retries it")
+}
+
+func TestNewSuspensionSweeperDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	w := NewSuspensionSweeper(nil, func(uuid.UUID) {}, nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, time.Minute, w.Interval())
+	assert.NotNil(t, w.log, "a nil logger is tolerated")
+	assert.WithinDuration(t, time.Now().UTC(), w.since, time.Second, "the first window opens at construction time")
+}

backend/internal/accountmerge/merge.go

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // Package accountmerge retires a secondary account into a primary one in a single
-// transaction: it sums statistics and the hint wallet, ORs the paid flag, repoints
+// transaction: it sums statistics (merging the per-variant best moves), sums the hint
+// wallet, ORs the paid flag, repoints
 // the secondary's identities, transfers its games/chat/complaints/invitations,
 // de-duplicates friends and blocks, and leaves the secondary as an audit tombstone
 // (accounts.merged_into). It is the data core of account linking & merge
@@ -68,6 +69,9 @@ func (m *Merger) Merge(ctx context.Context, primary, secondary uuid.UUID) error
 		if err := mergeStats(ctx, tx, primary, secondary, now); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if err := mergeBestMoves(ctx, tx, primary, secondary, now); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		if err := mergeAccountFields(ctx, tx, primary, secondary, now); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -147,8 +151,8 @@ func activeGameIDs(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, accountID uuid.UUID) ([]uuid
 	return out, nil
 }
 
-// mergeStats folds secondary's lifetime statistics into primary (wins/losses/draws
-// summed, max points kept) and deletes the secondary row.
+// mergeStats folds secondary's lifetime statistics into primary (wins/losses/draws and
+// the moves/hints-used counters summed, max points kept) and deletes the secondary row.
 func mergeStats(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, primary, secondary uuid.UUID, now time.Time) error {
 	var sec model.AccountStats
 	err := postgres.SELECT(table.AccountStats.AllColumns).
@@ -178,13 +182,16 @@ func mergeStats(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, primary, secondary uuid.UUID, n
 
 	upd := table.AccountStats.UPDATE(
 		table.AccountStats.Wins, table.AccountStats.Losses, table.AccountStats.Draws,
-		table.AccountStats.MaxGamePoints, table.AccountStats.MaxWordPoints, table.AccountStats.UpdatedAt,
+		table.AccountStats.MaxGamePoints, table.AccountStats.MaxWordPoints,
+		table.AccountStats.Moves, table.AccountStats.HintsUsed, table.AccountStats.UpdatedAt,
 	).SET(
 		postgres.Int(int64(pri.Wins+sec.Wins)),
 		postgres.Int(int64(pri.Losses+sec.Losses)),
 		postgres.Int(int64(pri.Draws+sec.Draws)),
 		postgres.Int(int64(max(pri.MaxGamePoints, sec.MaxGamePoints))),
 		postgres.Int(int64(max(pri.MaxWordPoints, sec.MaxWordPoints))),
+		postgres.Int(int64(pri.Moves+sec.Moves)),
+		postgres.Int(int64(pri.HintsUsed+sec.HintsUsed)),
 		postgres.TimestampzT(now),
 	).WHERE(table.AccountStats.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(primary)))
 	if _, err := upd.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
@@ -198,6 +205,41 @@ func mergeStats(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, primary, secondary uuid.UUID, n
 	return nil
 }
 
+// mergeBestMoves folds secondary's per-variant best moves into primary, keeping the
+// higher-scoring play per variant (the same rule the per-game upsert uses), then deletes
+// the secondary's rows — the secondary is only tombstoned, not removed, so without this
+// they would linger on a dead account and never reach the merged statistics screen.
+func mergeBestMoves(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, primary, secondary uuid.UUID, now time.Time) error {
+	var srows []model.AccountBestMove
+	err := postgres.SELECT(table.AccountBestMove.AllColumns).
+		FROM(table.AccountBestMove).
+		WHERE(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(secondary))).
+		QueryContext(ctx, tx, &srows)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, qrm.ErrNoRows) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("accountmerge: load secondary best moves: %w", err)
+	}
+	for _, s := range srows {
+		ins := table.AccountBestMove.
+			INSERT(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID, table.AccountBestMove.Variant,
+				table.AccountBestMove.Score, table.AccountBestMove.Tiles, table.AccountBestMove.UpdatedAt).
+			VALUES(primary, s.Variant, s.Score, s.Tiles, postgres.TimestampzT(now)).
+			ON_CONFLICT(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID, table.AccountBestMove.Variant).
+			DO_UPDATE(postgres.SET(
+				table.AccountBestMove.Score.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Score),
+				table.AccountBestMove.Tiles.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Tiles),
+				table.AccountBestMove.UpdatedAt.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.UpdatedAt),
+			).WHERE(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Score.GT(table.AccountBestMove.Score)))
+		if _, err := ins.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("accountmerge: merge best move %s: %w", s.Variant, err)
+		}
+	}
+	del := table.AccountBestMove.DELETE().WHERE(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(secondary)))
+	if _, err := del.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("accountmerge: delete secondary best moves: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // mergeAccountFields adds secondary's hint wallet to primary and ORs the paid flag;
 // all other profile fields stay the primary's.
 func mergeAccountFields(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, primary, secondary uuid.UUID, now time.Time) error {

backend/internal/adminconsole/assets/console.css

@@ -137,3 +137,59 @@ code { background: var(--bg); padding: 0.05rem 0.3rem; border-radius: 4px; }
    an image attachment is previewed inline, bounded so it cannot dominate the page. */
 .msgbody { white-space: pre-wrap; word-break: break-word; background: var(--bg); padding: 0.6rem 0.8rem; border-radius: 6px; margin: 0.6rem 0; }
 .attach { max-width: 100%; max-height: 480px; height: auto; border: 1px solid var(--line); border-radius: 6px; }
+
+/* Game replay (admin): a script-stepped board with rack panels around it, a move log and the
+   first-move draw. A placed tile shows its value as a subscript; a 0 value (a blank) shows none. */
+.replay-stage {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: auto minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
+  grid-template-areas: ".    top    ." "left board  right" ".    bottom .";
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-items: center;
+  margin-bottom: 0.6rem;
+}
+.rack-top { grid-area: top; }
+.rack-bottom { grid-area: bottom; }
+.rack-left { grid-area: left; }
+.rack-right { grid-area: right; }
+.replay-board { grid-area: board; overflow: auto; }
+.board-grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: 1.4rem repeat(15, 1.7rem);
+  grid-auto-rows: 1.7rem;
+  gap: 1px;
+  background: var(--line);
+  border: 1px solid var(--line);
+  width: max-content;
+}
+.board-grid .bh { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 0.6rem; color: var(--ink-dim); background: var(--panel); }
+.board-grid .cell { position: relative; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; background: var(--panel-hi); }
+.cell .prem { font-size: 0.55rem; color: var(--ink); opacity: 0.8; }
+.cell.tw { background: #7a2230; }
+.cell.dw { background: #a8506a; }
+.cell.tl { background: #235a7a; }
+.cell.dl { background: #3f87a8; }
+.cell.centre .prem { font-size: 0.95rem; color: var(--warn); opacity: 1; }
+.tile {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: baseline; justify-content: center;
+  min-width: 1.35rem; height: 1.35rem; padding: 0 0.12rem;
+  background: #e8d9a0; color: #1b1408; border-radius: 3px;
+  font-weight: 700; font-size: 0.8rem; line-height: 1.35rem;
+}
+.tile sub { font-size: 0.5rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1; align-self: flex-end; margin-left: 1px; }
+.tile.blank { background: #cdbfe0; }
+.cell.filled { background: var(--panel-hi); }
+.cell.filled .tile { width: 100%; height: 100%; border-radius: 2px; }
+.rack-slot { padding: 0.25rem; border-radius: 6px; }
+.rack-slot.active { outline: 2px solid var(--accent); background: var(--panel-hi); }
+.rack-name { font-size: 0.72rem; color: var(--ink-dim); margin-bottom: 0.2rem; text-align: center; }
+.rack-tiles { display: flex; gap: 2px; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; }
+.rack-left .rack-tiles, .rack-right .rack-tiles { flex-direction: column; }
+.replay-controls { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.8rem; justify-content: center; margin: 0.6rem 0; }
+.replay-controls button { background: var(--panel-hi); color: var(--ink); border: 1px solid var(--line); font-weight: 600; }
+.replay-controls button:disabled { opacity: 0.4; cursor: default; }
+.replay-pos { color: var(--ink-dim); font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; }
+.replay-log { margin: 0.4rem 0 0; padding-left: 1.4rem; max-height: 14rem; overflow: auto; font-size: 0.85rem; }
+.replay-log li { color: var(--ink-dim); padding: 0.1rem 0; }
+.replay-log li.cur { color: var(--ink); font-weight: 600; }

backend/internal/adminconsole/render_test.go

@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ func TestRendererRendersEveryPage(t *testing.T) {
 		{"user_detail", UserDetailView{ID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya", HasStats: true, Stats: StatsRow{Wins: 2}, TelegramID: "123", ConnectorEnabled: true}, "Send Telegram message"},
 		{"user_detail", UserDetailView{ID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya", FlaggedHighRateAt: "2026-06-10 12:00"}, "Clear high-rate flag"},
 		{"user_detail", UserDetailView{ID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya", Roles: []string{"feedback_banned"}, KnownRoles: []string{"feedback_banned"}}, "feedback_banned"},
+		{"user_detail", UserDetailView{ID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya",
+			Friends:   []RelationRow{{AccountID: "b2", DisplayName: "Ann", Date: "2026-06-10 12:00"}},
+			Blocks:    []RelationRow{{AccountID: "c3", DisplayName: "Bob", Date: "2026-06-11 09:00"}},
+			BlockedBy: []RelationRow{{AccountID: "d4", DisplayName: "Cay", Date: "2026-06-12 08:00"}},
+		}, `/_gm/users/c3`},
 		{"throttled", ThrottledView{
 			Episodes:      []ThrottleEpisodeRow{{Class: "user", Key: "a1", UserID: "a1", Rejected: 1234, FirstSeen: "2026-06-10 12:00", LastSeen: "2026-06-10 12:05"}},
 			Flagged:       []FlaggedAccountRow{{ID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya", FlaggedAt: "2026-06-10 12:05"}},
@@ -35,9 +40,10 @@ func TestRendererRendersEveryPage(t *testing.T) {
 		{"games", GamesView{Items: []GameRow{{ID: "g-open", Variant: "scrabble_en", Status: "open"}}, Status: "open", Pager: NewPager(1, 50, 1)}, "?status=open"},
 		{"game_detail", GameDetailView{ID: "g1", Variant: "scrabble_en", Seats: []SeatRow{{Seat: 0, DisplayName: "Kaya"}}}, "Seats"},
 		{"complaints", ComplaintsView{Items: []ComplaintRow{{ID: "c1", Word: "qi", Status: "open"}}, Status: "open", Pager: NewPager(1, 50, 1)}, "qi"},
-		{"messages", MessagesView{Items: []MessageRow{{ID: "m1", SenderID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Source: "telegram", Body: "good luck", GameID: "g1"}}, Pager: NewPager(1, 50, 1)}, "good luck"},
+		{"messages", MessagesView{Items: []MessageRow{{ID: "m1", SenderID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Source: "telegram", Body: "good luck", GameID: "g1", Unread: true}}, UnreadOnly: true, Pager: NewPager(1, 50, 1)}, "unread only"},
+		{"chatmessage", ChatMessageDetailView{ID: "m1", GameID: "g1", SenderID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Source: "telegram", Kind: "message", Body: "good luck", Unread: true, Seats: []ChatSeatStatusRow{{Seat: 0, AccountID: "a1", DisplayName: "Kaya", Role: "sender"}, {Seat: 1, AccountID: "b2", DisplayName: "Opp", Role: "unread"}}}, "Read by seat"},
 		{"feedback", FeedbackView{Items: []FeedbackRow{{ID: "f1", AccountID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Source: "telegram", Channel: "web", HasAttachment: true, Replied: true}}, Status: "unread", Pager: NewPager(1, 50, 1)}, "replied"},
-		{"feedback_detail", FeedbackDetailView{ID: "f1", AccountID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Channel: "telegram", InterfaceLanguage: "en", BotLanguage: "ru", Body: "please fix the board", HasAttachment: true, AttachmentName: "shot.png", IsImage: true, Banned: true}, "bot: ru"},
+		{"feedback_detail", FeedbackDetailView{ID: "f1", AccountID: "a1", SenderName: "Kaya", Channel: "telegram", InterfaceLanguage: "en", Body: "please fix the board", HasAttachment: true, AttachmentName: "shot.png", IsImage: true, Banned: true}, "Interface language"},
 		{"complaint_detail", ComplaintDetailView{ID: "c1", Word: "qi", Variant: "scrabble_en"}, "Resolve"},
 		{"dictionary", DictionaryView{ActiveVersion: "v1.0.0", Variants: []VariantVersions{{Variant: "scrabble_en", Versions: []string{"v1.0.0"}}}, Changes: []DictChangeRow{{Variant: "scrabble_en", Word: "qi", Action: "add"}}}, "Update dictionaries"},
 		{"dictionary_preview", DictionaryPreviewView{Version: "v1.1.0", Token: "0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef", ActiveVersion: "v1.0.0", Variants: []VariantDiffRow{{Variant: "scrabble_en", AddedCount: 2, RemovedCount: 1, AddedSample: []string{"qi", "za"}, RemovedSample: []string{"xqz"}, RemovedTruncated: true}}}, "v1.1.0"},

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/broadcast.gohtml

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 {{if .ConnectorEnabled}}
 <form class="form col" method="post" action="/_gm/broadcast">
 <label>Message <textarea name="text" required></textarea></label>
-<label>Bot language <select name="language"><option value="en">en</option><option value="ru">ru</option></select></label>
 <div><button type="submit">Post to channel</button></div>
 </form>
 {{else}}<p class="note">connector not configured (set BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR)</p>{{end}}

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/chatmessage.gohtml

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{{define "content" -}}
+{{with .Data}}
+<h1>Message</h1>
+<nav class="subnav"><a href="/_gm/messages">&laquo; messages</a> · <a href="/_gm/games/{{.GameID}}">game</a> · <a href="/_gm/messages?game={{.GameID}}">game messages</a></nav>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Summary</h2>
+<ul class="kv">
+<li><b>Time</b> {{.CreatedAt}}</li>
+<li><b>Sender</b> <a href="/_gm/users/{{.SenderID}}">{{.SenderName}}</a> ({{.Source}})</li>
+<li><b>IP</b> {{.IP}}</li>
+<li><b>Kind</b> {{.Kind}}</li>
+<li><b>Read</b> {{if .Unread}}unread{{else}}read{{end}}</li>
+<li><b>Message</b> {{.Body}}</li>
+</ul>
+</section>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Read by seat</h2>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>Seat</th><th>Player</th><th>Status</th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .Seats}}
+<tr><td>{{.Seat}}</td><td><a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{if .DisplayName}}{{.DisplayName}}{{else}}{{.AccountID}}{{end}}</a></td><td>{{if eq .Role "read"}}<span class="ok">read</span>{{else if eq .Role "unread"}}unread{{else}}sender{{end}}</td></tr>
+{{else}}
+<tr><td colspan="3"><span class="note">no seats</span></td></tr>
+{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
+{{end}}
+{{- end}}

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/feedback_detail.gohtml

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 <section class="panel"><h2>Message</h2>
 <ul class="kv">
 <li><b>From</b> <a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.SenderName}}</a> ({{.Source}})</li>
-<li><b>Channel</b> {{.Channel}}{{if .BotLanguage}} (bot: {{.BotLanguage}}){{end}}</li>
+<li><b>Channel</b> {{.Channel}}</li>
 <li><b>Interface language</b> {{.InterfaceLanguage}}</li>
 <li><b>IP</b> {{if .IP}}<code>{{.IP}}</code>{{else}}<span class="note">none</span>{{end}}</li>
 <li><b>Filed</b> {{.CreatedAt}}</li>

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/game_detail.gohtml

@@ -27,5 +27,87 @@
 </table>
 {{if .HasRobot}}<p><small>Play-to-win is decided once per game from the bag seed; robots play to win in ~{{.RobotTargetPct}}% of games.</small></p>{{end}}
 </section>
+{{if .SetupDraws}}
+<section class="panel"><h2>First-move draw</h2>
+<p class="note">Each player draws a tile; the one closest to &ldquo;A&rdquo; moves first (a blank beats every letter), ties re-drawing until a single leader remains.{{if .FirstMover}} <b>{{.FirstMover}}</b> leads.{{end}}</p>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>Round</th><th>Player</th><th>Tile</th><th>Rank</th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .SetupDraws}}
+<tr><td>{{.Round}}</td><td>{{if .AccountID}}<a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.Name}}</a>{{else}}{{.Name}}{{end}}</td><td>{{.Letter}}{{if .Blank}} <small>(blank)</small>{{end}}</td><td>{{.Rank}}</td></tr>
+{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
+{{end}}
+{{if .HasReplay}}
+<section class="panel"><h2>Replay</h2>
+<div class="replay-stage">
+  <div class="rack-slot rack-top" data-seat="0"></div>
+  <div class="rack-slot rack-left" data-seat="2"></div>
+  <div class="replay-board" id="replay-board"></div>
+  <div class="rack-slot rack-right" data-seat="3"></div>
+  <div class="rack-slot rack-bottom" data-seat="1"></div>
+</div>
+<div class="replay-controls">
+  <button type="button" id="replay-prev">&#9664; prev</button>
+  <span class="replay-pos" id="replay-pos"></span>
+  <button type="button" id="replay-next">next &#9654;</button>
+</div>
+<ol class="replay-log" id="replay-log"></ol>
+<script>
+const REPLAY = {{.ReplayJSON}};
+(function(){
+  if(!REPLAY||!REPLAY.steps){return;}
+  const N=15, COLS="ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO", PREM={tw:"3W",dw:"2W",tl:"3L",dl:"2L"};
+  const boardEl=document.getElementById("replay-board"), logEl=document.getElementById("replay-log");
+  const posEl=document.getElementById("replay-pos"), prevBtn=document.getElementById("replay-prev"), nextBtn=document.getElementById("replay-next");
+  let step=0;
+  function esc(s){const d=document.createElement("div");d.textContent=s==null?"":s;return d.innerHTML;}
+  function tileHTML(t){const sub=(t.v&&t.v>0)?"<sub>"+t.v+"<\/sub>":"";return "<span class=\"tile"+(t.b?" blank":"")+"\">"+esc(t.l)+sub+"<\/span>";}
+  function placedAt(k){const m={};for(let s=1;s<=k;s++){const mv=REPLAY.steps[s]&&REPLAY.steps[s].move;if(mv&&mv.placements){for(const p of mv.placements){m[p.r+","+p.c]=p;}}}return m;}
+  function renderBoard(){
+    const placed=placedAt(step);let h="<div class=\"board-grid\"><div class=\"bh corner\"><\/div>";
+    for(let c=0;c<N;c++){h+="<div class=\"bh\">"+COLS[c]+"<\/div>";}
+    for(let r=0;r<N;r++){h+="<div class=\"bh\">"+(r+1)+"<\/div>";
+      for(let c=0;c<N;c++){const p=placed[r+","+c];
+        if(p){h+="<div class=\"cell filled\">"+tileHTML(p)+"<\/div>";continue;}
+        const prem=REPLAY.premium[r][c], centre=(r===REPLAY.centre[0]&&c===REPLAY.centre[1]);
+        const label=centre?"&#9733;":(prem?PREM[prem]:"");
+        h+="<div class=\"cell "+(prem||"")+(centre?" centre":"")+"\">"+(label?"<span class=\"prem\">"+label+"<\/span>":"")+"<\/div>";}}
+    h+="<\/div>";boardEl.innerHTML=h;
+  }
+  function renderRacks(){
+    const st=REPLAY.steps[step];
+    document.querySelectorAll(".rack-slot").forEach(function(slot){
+      const seat=parseInt(slot.dataset.seat,10), info=REPLAY.seats.find(function(s){return s.seat===seat;}), rack=st.racks[seat];
+      if(!info||!rack){slot.style.display="none";slot.innerHTML="";return;}
+      slot.style.display="";slot.classList.toggle("active",st.toMove===seat);
+      const nm=info.accountId?"<a href=\"/_gm/users/"+info.accountId+"\">"+esc(info.name)+"<\/a>":esc(info.name||("seat "+seat));
+      slot.innerHTML="<div class=\"rack-name\">"+nm+" &middot; "+(st.scores[seat]||0)+"<\/div><div class=\"rack-tiles\">"+rack.map(tileHTML).join("")+"<\/div>";
+    });
+  }
+  function renderLog(){
+    let h="";
+    for(let s=1;s<=step;s++){const st=REPLAY.steps[s], m=st.move;if(!m){continue;}
+      const who=((REPLAY.seats.find(function(x){return x.seat===m.seat;})||{}).name)||("seat "+m.seat);
+      let desc;
+      if(m.action==="play"){desc="played "+((m.words&&m.words.length)?m.words.join(", "):"")+" for "+m.score;}
+      else if(m.action==="exchange"){desc="exchanged "+((m.exchanged&&m.exchanged.length)||0)+" tiles";}
+      else if(m.action==="pass"){desc="passed";}
+      else{desc=m.action;}
+      const drew=(st.drawn&&st.drawn.length)?" &middot; drew "+st.drawn.map(function(t){return t.l;}).join(""):"";
+      h+="<li class=\""+(s===step?"cur":"")+"\">"+esc(who)+" "+esc(desc)+drew+" &middot; bag "+st.bagLen+"<\/li>";}
+    logEl.innerHTML=h||"<li class=\"note\">opening position<\/li>";
+  }
+  function render(){renderBoard();renderRacks();renderLog();posEl.textContent=step+" / "+(REPLAY.steps.length-1);prevBtn.disabled=step<=0;nextBtn.disabled=step>=REPLAY.steps.length-1;}
+  prevBtn.onclick=function(){if(step>0){step--;render();}};
+  nextBtn.onclick=function(){if(step<REPLAY.steps.length-1){step++;render();}};
+  document.addEventListener("keydown",function(e){if(e.key==="ArrowLeft"){prevBtn.click();}else if(e.key==="ArrowRight"){nextBtn.click();}});
+  render();
+})();
+</script>
+</section>
+{{end}}
 {{end}}
 {{- end}}

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/messages.gohtml

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 {{if .UserID}}<input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{.UserID}}">{{end}}
 <input name="name" value="{{.NameMask}}" placeholder="sender name mask (* ?)">
 <input name="ext" value="{{.ExtMask}}" placeholder="sender external id mask (* ?)">
+<label class="check"><input type="checkbox" name="unread" value="1"{{if .UnreadOnly}} checked{{end}}> unread only</label>
 <button type="submit">Filter</button>
 <a class="export" href="/_gm/messages.csv?{{.FilterQuery}}">Export CSV ↓</a>
 </form>
@@ -13,19 +14,20 @@
 <p class="note">Filtered{{if .GameID}} to game <a href="/_gm/games/{{.GameID}}">{{.GameID}}</a>{{end}}{{if .UserID}} from <a href="/_gm/users/{{.UserID}}">sender</a>{{end}} · <a href="/_gm/messages">clear</a></p>
 {{end}}
 <table class="list">
-<thead><tr><th>Time</th><th>Source</th><th>Sender</th><th>IP</th><th>Message</th><th>Game</th></tr></thead>
+<thead><tr><th>Time</th><th>Source</th><th>Sender</th><th>IP</th><th>Message</th><th>Read</th><th>Game</th></tr></thead>
 <tbody>
 {{range .Items}}
 <tr>
-<td>{{.CreatedAt}}</td>
+<td><a href="/_gm/messages/{{.ID}}">{{.CreatedAt}}</a></td>
 <td>{{.Source}}</td>
 <td><a href="/_gm/users/{{.SenderID}}">{{.SenderName}}</a></td>
 <td>{{.IP}}</td>
 <td>{{.Body}}</td>
+<td>{{if .Unread}}unread{{else}}read{{end}}</td>
 <td><a href="/_gm/games/{{.GameID}}">game</a></td>
 </tr>
 {{else}}
-<tr><td colspan="6"><span class="note">no messages</span></td></tr>
+<tr><td colspan="7"><span class="note">no messages</span></td></tr>
 {{end}}
 </tbody>
 </table>

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/throttled.gohtml

@@ -5,6 +5,26 @@
 list is in-memory and resets on a backend restart. An account sustaining
 {{.FlagThreshold}}+ rejected calls within {{.FlagWindow}} is soft-flagged for review
 below — never banned automatically; clear the flag on the user card.</p>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Active IP bans</h2>
+<p class="note">Temporary IP bans the gateway is currently enforcing (in-memory, prod-only;
+reset on a gateway restart). Unban applies on the gateway's next sync.</p>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>IP</th><th>Reason</th><th>Since</th><th>Expires</th><th></th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .Bans}}
+<tr>
+<td><code>{{.IP}}</code></td>
+<td>{{.Reason}}</td>
+<td>{{.Since}}</td>
+<td>{{.Expires}}</td>
+<td><form class="form" method="post" action="/_gm/bans/unban"><input type="hidden" name="ip" value="{{.IP}}"><button type="submit">Unban</button></form></td>
+</tr>
+{{else}}
+<tr><td colspan="5"><span class="note">no active bans</span></td></tr>
+{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
 <section class="panel"><h2>Recent episodes</h2>
 <table class="list">
 <thead><tr><th>Class</th><th>Key</th><th class="num">Rejected</th><th>First seen</th><th>Last seen</th></tr></thead>

backend/internal/adminconsole/templates/pages/user_detail.gohtml

@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 <li><b>Wins</b> {{.Stats.Wins}}</li>
 <li><b>Losses</b> {{.Stats.Losses}}</li>
 <li><b>Draws</b> {{.Stats.Draws}}</li>
+<li><b>Moves</b> {{.Stats.Moves}}</li>
+<li><b>Hints used</b> {{.Stats.HintsUsed}}</li>
 <li><b>Best game</b> {{.Stats.MaxGamePoints}}</li>
 <li><b>Best move</b> {{.Stats.MaxWordPoints}}</li>
 </ul>
@@ -100,12 +102,41 @@
 </tbody>
 </table>
 </section>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Friends</h2>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>Account</th><th>Friends since</th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .Friends}}
+<tr><td><a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.DisplayName}}</a></td><td>{{.Date}}</td></tr>
+{{else}}<tr><td colspan="2"><span class="note">no friends</span></td></tr>{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Blocks</h2>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>Account</th><th>Blocked at</th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .Blocks}}
+<tr><td><a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.DisplayName}}</a></td><td>{{.Date}}</td></tr>
+{{else}}<tr><td colspan="2"><span class="note">blocks no one</span></td></tr>{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
+<section class="panel"><h2>Blocked by</h2>
+<table class="list">
+<thead><tr><th>Account</th><th>Blocked at</th></tr></thead>
+<tbody>
+{{range .BlockedBy}}
+<tr><td><a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.DisplayName}}</a></td><td>{{.Date}}</td></tr>
+{{else}}<tr><td colspan="2"><span class="note">blocked by no one</span></td></tr>{{end}}
+</tbody>
+</table>
+</section>
 {{if .TelegramID}}
 <section class="panel"><h2>Send Telegram message</h2>
 {{if .ConnectorEnabled}}
 <form class="form col" method="post" action="/_gm/users/{{.ID}}/message">
 <label>Message <textarea name="text" required></textarea></label>
-<label>Bot language <select name="language"><option value="en">en</option><option value="ru">ru</option></select></label>
 <div><button type="submit">Send to user</button></div>
 </form>
 {{else}}<p class="note">connector not configured (set BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR)</p>{{end}}

backend/internal/adminconsole/views.go

@@ -94,11 +94,13 @@ type MessagesView struct {
 	ExtMask     string
 	GameID      string
 	UserID      string
+	UnreadOnly  bool
 	FilterQuery template.URL
 }
 
 // MessageRow is one chat message in the moderation list: its sender (linked to the user
-// card), source, IP, body, game (linked to the game card) and time.
+// card), source, IP, body, game (linked to the game card), time, and whether it is still
+// unread by at least one recipient.
 type MessageRow struct {
 	ID         string
 	SenderID   string
@@ -108,6 +110,32 @@ type MessageRow struct {
 	Body       string
 	GameID     string
 	CreatedAt  string
+	Unread     bool
+}
+
+// ChatMessageDetailView is one chat message with its per-seat read breakdown, for the
+// console message card.
+type ChatMessageDetailView struct {
+	ID         string
+	GameID     string
+	SenderID   string
+	SenderName string
+	Source     string
+	Kind       string
+	Body       string
+	IP         string
+	CreatedAt  string
+	Unread     bool
+	Seats      []ChatSeatStatusRow
+}
+
+// ChatSeatStatusRow is one seat's read status on the message card: the seat index, the
+// occupant (linked to the user card) and its role ("sender", "read" or "unread").
+type ChatSeatStatusRow struct {
+	Seat        int
+	AccountID   string
+	DisplayName string
+	Role        string
 }
 
 // UserDetailView is one account with its stats, identities and recent games.
@@ -147,6 +175,21 @@ type UserDetailView struct {
 	// grant form offers. The first role is the feedback ban (see internal/account).
 	Roles      []string
 	KnownRoles []string
+	// Blocks, BlockedBy and Friends are the social graph on the card: who this account has
+	// blocked, who currently blocks it, and its mutual friendships — each cross-linked to the
+	// other account with the date it happened. They are the full truth; the asymmetric block
+	// suppression that hides relationships from players never applies to the console.
+	Blocks    []RelationRow
+	BlockedBy []RelationRow
+	Friends   []RelationRow
+}
+
+// RelationRow is one cross-linked account in the user card's blocks / blocked-by / friends
+// lists: the other account's id (the link target), its display name, and the pre-formatted date.
+type RelationRow struct {
+	AccountID   string
+	DisplayName string
+	Date        string
 }
 
 // SuspensionView is an account's current manual-block state shown on the user card: whether it
@@ -175,6 +218,8 @@ type StatsRow struct {
 	Draws         int
 	MaxGamePoints int
 	MaxWordPoints int
+	Moves         int
+	HintsUsed     int
 }
 
 // IdentityRow is one platform/email identity of an account.
@@ -223,6 +268,27 @@ type GameDetailView struct {
 	// RobotTargetPct is the configured global play-to-win rate, in percent.
 	HasRobot       bool
 	RobotTargetPct int
+	// ReplayJSON is the game-replay payload (board, seats, per-step racks/scores/bag) the
+	// game_detail page feeds to its vanilla-JS stepper; HasReplay gates the replay section.
+	ReplayJSON template.JS
+	HasReplay  bool
+	// SetupDraws is the first-move draw — one row per tile drawn (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6) —
+	// and FirstMover is the resolved name of the seat-0 player the draw elected.
+	SetupDraws []SetupDrawRow
+	FirstMover string
+}
+
+// SetupDrawRow is one tile drawn in the first-move seeding (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6): the
+// round, the player (Name/AccountID, or "(opponent)" with an empty AccountID for an
+// auto-match synthetic draw not yet back-filled), the drawn letter (upper-cased; "?" for a
+// blank) and its draw rank.
+type SetupDrawRow struct {
+	Round     int
+	Name      string
+	AccountID string
+	Letter    string
+	Blank     bool
+	Rank      int
 }
 
 // SeatRow is one seat of a game. For a robot seat (IsRobot) RobotIntent is the game's
@@ -323,17 +389,27 @@ type BroadcastView struct {
 	ConnectorEnabled bool
 }
 
-// ThrottledView is the rate-limit observability page: the recent gateway-reported
-// throttle episodes (in-memory, reset on restart) and the accounts currently
-// carrying the high-rate flag. FlagThreshold and FlagWindow caption the active
-// auto-flag tuning.
+// ThrottledView is the rate-limit observability page: the temporary IP bans the
+// gateway is currently enforcing, the recent gateway-reported throttle episodes
+// (in-memory, reset on restart) and the accounts currently carrying the high-rate
+// flag. FlagThreshold and FlagWindow caption the active auto-flag tuning.
 type ThrottledView struct {
+	Bans          []BanRow
 	Episodes      []ThrottleEpisodeRow
 	Flagged       []FlaggedAccountRow
 	FlagThreshold int
 	FlagWindow    string
 }
 
+// BanRow is one temporary IP ban the gateway is enforcing, with its reason and its
+// since/expiry timestamps; the row carries an unban action.
+type BanRow struct {
+	IP      string
+	Reason  string
+	Since   string
+	Expires string
+}
+
 // ThrottleEpisodeRow is one recently throttled limiter key. UserID links to the
 // user card and is set only for the user class (the other classes key by IP).
 type ThrottleEpisodeRow struct {
@@ -465,11 +541,8 @@ type FeedbackDetailView struct {
 	SenderName string
 	Source     string
 	Channel    string
-	// InterfaceLanguage is the sender's interface language (account preference);
-	// BotLanguage is the connector bot they last used (en/ru), set only for a
-	// message that arrived through an external connector (Telegram).
+	// InterfaceLanguage is the sender's interface language (account preference).
 	InterfaceLanguage string
-	BotLanguage       string
 	IP                string
 	Body              string
 	HasAttachment     bool

backend/internal/banview/banview.go

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+// Package banview mirrors the gateway's active IP bans for the admin console and
+// collects operator unban requests for the gateway to apply. Like ratewatch it is
+// in-memory, single-instance and resets on a backend restart by design — the
+// gateway re-reports its active set on the next sync, and the durable effect (the
+// ban itself) lives in the gateway, not here.
+package banview
+
+import (
+	"sort"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Ban is one active IP ban as reported by the gateway.
+type Ban struct {
+	IP      string
+	Reason  string
+	Since   time.Time
+	Expires time.Time
+}
+
+// View holds the last-reported active bans and the operator's pending unbans.
+type View struct {
+	now func() time.Time
+
+	mu    sync.Mutex
+	bans  map[string]Ban      // last reported active set, keyed by IP
+	unban map[string]struct{} // IPs an operator marked for unban
+}
+
+// New constructs an empty View.
+func New() *View {
+	return &View{now: time.Now, bans: make(map[string]Ban), unban: make(map[string]struct{})}
+}
+
+// Ingest replaces the mirrored active set with the gateway's latest report,
+// skipping entries with an empty IP or one that has already expired.
+func (v *View) Ingest(active []Ban) {
+	now := v.now()
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	defer v.mu.Unlock()
+	v.bans = make(map[string]Ban, len(active))
+	for _, b := range active {
+		if b.IP == "" || !now.Before(b.Expires) {
+			continue
+		}
+		v.bans[b.IP] = b
+	}
+}
+
+// Recent returns the mirrored active bans, most recently banned first.
+func (v *View) Recent() []Ban {
+	now := v.now()
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	defer v.mu.Unlock()
+	out := make([]Ban, 0, len(v.bans))
+	for _, b := range v.bans {
+		if now.Before(b.Expires) {
+			out = append(out, b)
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Slice(out, func(i, j int) bool { return out[i].Since.After(out[j].Since) })
+	return out
+}
+
+// RequestUnban records an operator request to lift the ban on ip; the gateway
+// applies it on its next sync (so the console reflects it within the sync
+// interval). An empty ip is ignored.
+func (v *View) RequestUnban(ip string) {
+	if ip == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	defer v.mu.Unlock()
+	v.unban[ip] = struct{}{}
+}
+
+// DrainUnbans returns and clears the IPs operators have marked for unban since the
+// previous drain. It returns nil when there are none.
+func (v *View) DrainUnbans() []string {
+	v.mu.Lock()
+	defer v.mu.Unlock()
+	if len(v.unban) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(v.unban))
+	for ip := range v.unban {
+		out = append(out, ip)
+	}
+	clear(v.unban)
+	return out
+}

backend/internal/banview/banview_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package banview
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func viewAt(clk *time.Time) *View {
+	v := New()
+	v.now = func() time.Time { return *clk }
+	return v
+}
+
+func TestIngestRecentDropsExpired(t *testing.T) {
+	clk := time.Date(2026, 6, 21, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	v := viewAt(&clk)
+	v.Ingest([]Ban{
+		{IP: "1.1.1.1", Reason: "tripwire", Since: clk, Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)},
+		{IP: "2.2.2.2", Reason: "rejections", Since: clk.Add(-2 * time.Hour), Expires: clk.Add(-time.Hour)}, // expired
+		{IP: "", Reason: "x", Since: clk, Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)},                                      // empty IP
+	})
+	got := v.Recent()
+	if len(got) != 1 || got[0].IP != "1.1.1.1" || got[0].Reason != "tripwire" {
+		t.Fatalf("Recent = %+v, want one live ban for 1.1.1.1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIngestReplaces(t *testing.T) {
+	clk := time.Date(2026, 6, 21, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	v := viewAt(&clk)
+	v.Ingest([]Ban{{IP: "1.1.1.1", Since: clk, Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)}})
+	v.Ingest([]Ban{{IP: "2.2.2.2", Since: clk, Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)}})
+	got := v.Recent()
+	if len(got) != 1 || got[0].IP != "2.2.2.2" {
+		t.Fatalf("Recent = %+v, want only the latest report (2.2.2.2)", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRecentOrdersBySince(t *testing.T) {
+	clk := time.Date(2026, 6, 21, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	v := viewAt(&clk)
+	v.Ingest([]Ban{
+		{IP: "old", Since: clk.Add(-10 * time.Minute), Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)},
+		{IP: "new", Since: clk.Add(-1 * time.Minute), Expires: clk.Add(time.Hour)},
+	})
+	got := v.Recent()
+	if len(got) != 2 || got[0].IP != "new" || got[1].IP != "old" {
+		t.Fatalf("Recent order = %+v, want most recent first", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnbanRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	clk := time.Date(2026, 6, 21, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	v := viewAt(&clk)
+	v.RequestUnban("3.3.3.3")
+	v.RequestUnban("") // ignored
+	drained := v.DrainUnbans()
+	if len(drained) != 1 || drained[0] != "3.3.3.3" {
+		t.Fatalf("DrainUnbans = %v, want [3.3.3.3]", drained)
+	}
+	if again := v.DrainUnbans(); again != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second DrainUnbans = %v, want nil (cleared)", again)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/connector/client.go

@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-// Package connector is the backend's gRPC client for the Telegram platform
-// connector side-service. The admin console uses it to send operator broadcasts:
-// a direct message to one user, or a post to a game channel. Each broadcast
-// selects the delivering bot by language (an operator choice, since the connector
-// hosts one bot per service language). The connector lives on the trusted internal
-// network, so the connection uses insecure (plaintext) transport credentials
-// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §12). It mirrors gateway/internal/connector, narrowed to
-// the two broadcast methods the admin surface needs.
+// Package connector is the backend's gRPC client for operator broadcasts: a direct
+// message to one user, or a post to the game channel. It calls the gateway's
+// bot-link relay (which forwards the send to the remote bot over the reverse mTLS
+// link and reports back whether it was delivered). The relay lives on the trusted
+// internal network, so the connection uses insecure (plaintext) transport
+// credentials (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §12). It speaks the Telegram service contract,
+// narrowed to the two broadcast methods the admin surface needs.
 package connector
 
 import (
@@ -37,22 +36,21 @@ func New(addr string) (*Client, error) {
 func (c *Client) Close() error { return c.conn.Close() }
 
 // SendToUser sends an operator text message to one user, addressed by their
-// platform external_id, through the bot for the given language. delivered reports
-// whether the connector actually sent it (false when the user has not started that
-// bot).
-func (c *Client) SendToUser(ctx context.Context, externalID, text, language string) (bool, error) {
-	resp, err := c.c.SendToUser(ctx, &telegramv1.SendToUserRequest{ExternalId: externalID, Text: text, Language: language})
+// platform external_id, through the bot. delivered reports whether the connector
+// actually sent it (false when the user has not started the bot).
+func (c *Client) SendToUser(ctx context.Context, externalID, text string) (bool, error) {
+	resp, err := c.c.SendToUser(ctx, &telegramv1.SendToUserRequest{ExternalId: externalID, Text: text})
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
 	return resp.GetDelivered(), nil
 }
 
-// SendToGameChannel posts an operator text message to the game channel of the bot
-// for the given language. delivered reports whether the connector sent it (false
-// when that bot has no channel configured).
-func (c *Client) SendToGameChannel(ctx context.Context, text, language string) (bool, error) {
-	resp, err := c.c.SendToGameChannel(ctx, &telegramv1.SendToGameChannelRequest{Text: text, Language: language})
+// SendToGameChannel posts an operator text message to the bot's game channel.
+// delivered reports whether the connector sent it (false when the bot has no
+// channel configured).
+func (c *Client) SendToGameChannel(ctx context.Context, text string) (bool, error) {
+	resp, err := c.c.SendToGameChannel(ctx, &telegramv1.SendToGameChannelRequest{Text: text})
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}

backend/internal/engine/registry.go

@@ -70,11 +70,21 @@ func Open(dir, version string, variants ...Variant) (*Registry, error) {
 // immediate subdirectory of dir: a subdirectory named V contributes, under
 // version V, the variants whose committed DAWG it carries. This is the
 // restart-side of the admin dictionary reload — a version reloaded into dir/<V>/
-// at runtime is resident again after a restart. A subdirectory named like the
-// boot version is skipped (the flat dir already is the boot version). A partially
-// loaded registry is closed before any error is returned.
+// at runtime is resident again after a restart. The flat dir's version is resolved
+// from its .seed_version marker (see resolveSeedVersion): a fresh dir records
+// bootVersion, an already-seeded dir keeps its recorded label and ignores bootVersion,
+// so a bumped build seed never relabels live bytes. A subdirectory named like the
+// resolved seed version is skipped (the flat dir already is it). A partially loaded
+// registry is closed before any error is returned.
 func OpenWithVersions(dir, bootVersion string) (*Registry, error) {
-	r, err := Open(dir, bootVersion)
+	// Resolve the flat dir's version from its seed marker first: on an already-seeded
+	// volume the marker wins and bootVersion is ignored, so a bumped build seed cannot
+	// relabel live bytes (see resolveSeedVersion).
+	seed, err := resolveSeedVersion(dir, bootVersion)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	r, err := Open(dir, seed)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -84,9 +94,9 @@ func OpenWithVersions(dir, bootVersion string) (*Registry, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("engine: scan dictionary dir %s: %w", dir, err)
 	}
 	for _, e := range entries {
-		// Skip non-directories, the boot version (already loaded as the flat dir)
-		// and dot-prefixed directories (the upload staging area, dir/.staging/).
-		if !e.IsDir() || e.Name() == bootVersion || strings.HasPrefix(e.Name(), ".") {
+		// Skip non-directories, the resolved seed version (already loaded as the flat
+		// dir) and dot-prefixed directories (the upload staging area, dir/.staging/).
+		if !e.IsDir() || e.Name() == seed || strings.HasPrefix(e.Name(), ".") {
 			continue
 		}
 		if _, err := r.LoadAvailable(filepath.Join(dir, e.Name()), e.Name()); err != nil {

backend/internal/engine/reload_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -112,6 +113,103 @@ func TestOpenWithVersionsSkipsDotDirs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestOpenWithVersionsRecordsSeedMarker verifies the first boot records the seed
+// version in the flat dir's marker, the marker is not mistaken for a version, and a
+// reboot at the same seed version succeeds.
+func TestOpenWithVersionsRecordsSeedMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	for _, v := range Variants() {
+		copyDawg(t, testDictDir(), dir, v)
+	}
+
+	reg, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first open: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := reg.Versions(VariantEnglish); len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "v1" {
+		t.Errorf("versions = %v, want only [v1] (marker not a version)", got)
+	}
+	_ = reg.Close()
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, seedMarkerFile))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read seed marker: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); got != "v1" {
+		t.Fatalf("seed marker = %q, want v1", got)
+	}
+
+	reg2, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reboot at same seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = reg2.Close()
+}
+
+// TestOpenWithVersionsMarkerWinsOverBoot verifies the recorded .seed_version marker
+// is authoritative: once a directory is seeded, a different bootVersion
+// (BACKEND_DICT_VERSION) is ignored — the flat dir keeps its recorded label — so a
+// bumped build seed on a live volume cannot relabel the already-seeded bytes.
+func TestOpenWithVersionsMarkerWinsOverBoot(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	for _, v := range Variants() {
+		copyDawg(t, testDictDir(), dir, v)
+	}
+
+	reg, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v1") // seeds the marker = v1
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed open: %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = reg.Close()
+
+	// Reboot with a bumped boot version: the marker (v1) wins, no error, v2 ignored.
+	reg2, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v2")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reboot with bumped boot version: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = reg2.Close() }()
+	if got := reg2.Versions(VariantEnglish); len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "v1" {
+		t.Errorf("versions = %v, want [v1] (marker wins, v2 ignored)", got)
+	}
+	if _, err := reg2.Solver(VariantEnglish, "v2"); !errors.Is(err, ErrUnknownVersion) {
+		t.Errorf("v2 must not be resident: got %v", err)
+	}
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, seedMarkerFile))
+	if got := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); got != "v1" {
+		t.Errorf("marker = %q, want v1 (unchanged)", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestOpenWithVersionsBumpedBootKeepsSubdir mirrors the live-contour case: a volume
+// seeded as v1 with a v2 subdirectory (uploaded via the console), booted with a bumped
+// build seed bootVersion=v2. The marker (v1) wins for the flat dir, and the v2
+// subdirectory is still loaded — not skipped as "the boot version" — so both versions
+// stay resident. (Skipping it would silently leave only the flat v1 bytes under v2.)
+func TestOpenWithVersionsBumpedBootKeepsSubdir(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	for _, v := range Variants() {
+		copyDawg(t, testDictDir(), dir, v)
+	}
+	reg0, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v1") // seed marker = v1
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = reg0.Close()
+	copyDawg(t, testDictDir(), filepath.Join(dir, "v2"), VariantEnglish) // console upload
+
+	reg, err := OpenWithVersions(dir, "v2") // bumped build seed
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("boot v2: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = reg.Close() }()
+	if _, err := reg.Solver(VariantEnglish, "v1"); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("flat v1 must stay resident: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := reg.Solver(VariantEnglish, "v2"); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("v2 subdir must be resident (not skipped): %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestReloadRegistersNewVersion verifies Load adds a second version to a variant
 // already resident, moves the latest pointer and keeps the earlier version.
 func TestReloadRegistersNewVersion(t *testing.T) {

backend/internal/engine/seedmarker.go

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+package engine
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// seedMarkerFile names the file, in the flat dictionary directory, that records the
+// version the directory was first seeded as. It is dot-prefixed so OpenWithVersions'
+// version scan skips it (like the .staging upload area).
+const seedMarkerFile = ".seed_version"
+
+// resolveSeedVersion returns the version label the flat dictionary directory is
+// addressed by, recording it on first use.
+//
+// The contour's dictionary lives on a named volume seeded from the image once and
+// never re-seeded (deploy/docker-compose.yml). The flat DAWGs carry no embedded
+// version, so the version a volume was first seeded as is recorded in a
+// .seed_version marker and is **authoritative** from then on:
+//
+//   - fresh directory (no marker): record bootVersion (the build's
+//     BACKEND_DICT_VERSION) and return it — the seed of a fresh volume;
+//   - already-seeded directory: return the recorded marker and ignore bootVersion.
+//
+// So bumping the build seed on a live volume is a harmless no-op (it only takes
+// effect on a future fresh volume) instead of relabelling the already-seeded bytes —
+// which would void games pinned to the prior label and mis-serve new ones. New games
+// still pin the active version (DB-persisted, set by the admin console), which is the
+// real way a running contour moves to a new release.
+//
+// A directory that cannot be written makes the first record fail; that also breaks
+// the admin console (which writes version subdirectories here), so the error is
+// returned rather than swallowed, matching the package's fail-loud dictionary setup.
+func resolveSeedVersion(dir, bootVersion string) (string, error) {
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, seedMarkerFile)
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("engine: read dictionary seed marker %s: %w", path, err)
+	}
+	if err == nil {
+		if recorded := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); recorded != "" {
+			return recorded, nil
+		}
+		// An empty/corrupt marker falls through and is rewritten from bootVersion.
+	}
+	if werr := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(bootVersion+"\n"), 0o644); werr != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("engine: record dictionary seed marker %s: %w", path, werr)
+	}
+	return bootVersion, nil
+}

backend/internal/engine/setup.go

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package engine
+
+import "fmt"
+
+// SetupTile is one tile of a variant's full bag, decoded for the first-move draw
+// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6): its concrete letter (or the blank marker), a blank
+// flag, and its draw rank. Lower rank wins the draw — a blank ranks above every
+// letter, and letters rank by alphabet index, so the tile closest to the start of
+// the alphabet ("A") wins. It is dictionary-independent, built from the variant's
+// solver ruleset alone.
+type SetupTile struct {
+	// Letter is the concrete character (the case the solver ruleset emits), or
+	// the blank marker "?" for a blank.
+	Letter string
+	// Blank reports whether the tile is a blank.
+	Blank bool
+	// Rank orders the draw: BlankRank for a blank (best), else the letter's
+	// alphabet index (0 = closest to "A").
+	Rank int
+}
+
+// BlankRank is the first-move draw rank of a blank: below every letter index, so a
+// blank always beats a lettered tile, matching the official rule that a blank
+// supersedes all letters.
+const BlankRank = -1
+
+// SetupBag returns variant's full tile bag — every lettered tile expanded by its
+// count, plus one entry per blank — decoded for the first-move seeding draw. The
+// order is deterministic (alphabet order, blanks last); callers shuffle it with
+// their own entropy. It needs no dictionary, so it is built from the variant's
+// ruleset alone and reports ErrUnknownVariant for an unrecognised variant.
+func SetupBag(v Variant) ([]SetupTile, error) {
+	rs, ok := v.ruleset()
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %d", ErrUnknownVariant, v)
+	}
+	bag := make([]SetupTile, 0, 128)
+	for i, n := range rs.Counts {
+		ch, err := rs.Alphabet.Character(byte(i))
+		if err != nil {
+			// An offered variant's alphabet never yields a bad index; skip defensively.
+			continue
+		}
+		for range n {
+			bag = append(bag, SetupTile{Letter: ch, Rank: i})
+		}
+	}
+	for range rs.Blanks {
+		bag = append(bag, SetupTile{Letter: blankLetter, Blank: true, Rank: BlankRank})
+	}
+	return bag, nil
+}

backend/internal/engine/setup_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package engine
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestSetupBagEnglish(t *testing.T) {
+	bag, err := SetupBag(VariantEnglish)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SetupBag: %v", err)
+	}
+	// English Scrabble: 98 lettered tiles + 2 blanks = 100.
+	if len(bag) != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("bag size = %d, want 100", len(bag))
+	}
+	blanks, aCount := 0, 0
+	for _, tl := range bag {
+		switch {
+		case tl.Blank:
+			blanks++
+			if tl.Rank != BlankRank {
+				t.Errorf("blank rank = %d, want %d", tl.Rank, BlankRank)
+			}
+			if tl.Letter != blankLetter {
+				t.Errorf("blank letter = %q, want %q", tl.Letter, blankLetter)
+			}
+		case tl.Letter == "a":
+			aCount++
+			if tl.Rank != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("'a' rank = %d, want 0 (closest to A)", tl.Rank)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if blanks != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("blanks = %d, want 2", blanks)
+	}
+	if aCount != 9 {
+		t.Errorf("'a' count = %d, want 9", aCount)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSetupBagUnknownVariant(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := SetupBag(Variant(99)); !errors.Is(err, ErrUnknownVariant) {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want ErrUnknownVariant", err)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/feedback/service.go

@@ -112,14 +112,9 @@ func (svc *Service) Submit(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string
 		attachmentName = "" // a name without bytes carries no attachment
 	}
 	ch := normalizeChannel(channel)
-	// Snapshot the languages at submit time (acc is already loaded for the guest check):
-	// the sender's interface language, and the connector bot language when the message
-	// came through an external connector (currently Telegram).
-	var channelLang string
-	if ch == "telegram" {
-		channelLang = acc.ServiceLanguage
-	}
-	_, err = svc.store.Insert(ctx, accountID, body, attachment, attachmentName, ch, acc.PreferredLanguage, channelLang, parseIP(senderIP))
+	// Snapshot the sender's interface language at submit time (acc is already loaded
+	// for the guest check) so the operator later sees the state as it was.
+	_, err = svc.store.Insert(ctx, accountID, body, attachment, attachmentName, ch, acc.PreferredLanguage, parseIP(senderIP))
 	return err
 }
 

backend/internal/feedback/store.go

@@ -34,11 +34,10 @@ func NewStore(db *sql.DB) *Store {
 
 // Insert stores one feedback message from accountID and returns its id. attachment
 // is the raw file bytes (nil for none); attachmentName, ip and a non-default
-// channel are stored as given. lang (the sender's interface language) and channelLang
-// (the connector bot language, empty for a non-connector channel) are snapshots taken
-// now, so the operator later sees the state at submit time. created_at defaults to
-// now() in the database.
-func (s *Store) Insert(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, lang, channelLang string, ip *string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
+// channel are stored as given. lang (the sender's interface language) is a snapshot
+// taken now, so the operator later sees the state at submit time. created_at defaults
+// to now() in the database.
+func (s *Store) Insert(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, lang string, ip *string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
 	id, err := uuid.NewV7()
 	if err != nil {
 		return uuid.Nil, fmt.Errorf("feedback: new message id: %w", err)
@@ -49,9 +48,9 @@ func (s *Store) Insert(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, at
 	}
 	if _, err := s.db.ExecContext(ctx,
 		`INSERT INTO backend.feedback_messages
-		   (message_id, account_id, body, attachment, attachment_name, channel, lang, channel_lang, sender_ip)
-		 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9)`,
-		id, accountID, body, att, nullStr(attachmentName), channel, nullStr(lang), nullStr(channelLang), ip); err != nil {
+		   (message_id, account_id, body, attachment, attachment_name, channel, lang, sender_ip)
+		 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8)`,
+		id, accountID, body, att, nullStr(attachmentName), channel, nullStr(lang), ip); err != nil {
 		return uuid.Nil, fmt.Errorf("feedback: insert: %w", err)
 	}
 	return id, nil
@@ -228,10 +227,8 @@ type AdminMessage struct {
 	Source     string
 	Body       string
 	Channel    string
-	// Lang is the sender's interface language and ChannelLang the connector bot language
-	// (en/ru, empty for a non-connector channel) — both snapshotted at submit time.
+	// Lang is the sender's interface language, snapshotted at submit time.
 	Lang           string
-	ChannelLang    string
 	SenderIP       string
 	HasAttachment  bool
 	AttachmentName string
@@ -346,7 +343,7 @@ func (s *Store) AdminGet(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (AdminMessage, error
 	var m AdminMessage
 	var repliedAt sql.NullTime
 	q := `SELECT m.message_id, m.account_id, a.display_name, ` + feedbackSource + ` AS source, m.body, m.channel,
-		COALESCE(m.lang, ''), COALESCE(m.channel_lang, ''),
+		COALESCE(m.lang, ''),
 		COALESCE(m.sender_ip, ''), (m.attachment IS NOT NULL), COALESCE(m.attachment_name, ''),
 		(m.read_at IS NOT NULL), (m.archived_at IS NOT NULL), (m.reply_body IS NOT NULL),
 		COALESCE(m.reply_body, ''), m.replied_at, m.created_at
@@ -355,7 +352,7 @@ func (s *Store) AdminGet(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (AdminMessage, error
 	WHERE m.message_id = $1`
 	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx, q, id).Scan(
 		&m.ID, &m.AccountID, &m.SenderName, &m.Source, &m.Body, &m.Channel,
-		&m.Lang, &m.ChannelLang,
+		&m.Lang,
 		&m.SenderIP, &m.HasAttachment, &m.AttachmentName,
 		&m.Read, &m.Archived, &m.Replied, &m.ReplyBody, &repliedAt, &m.CreatedAt)
 	if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {

backend/internal/game/cache.go

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ type gameCache struct {
 
 type cachedGame struct {
 	game       *engine.Game
+	seats      []Seat
 	variant    string
 	lastAccess time.Time
 }
@@ -71,24 +72,27 @@ func newGameCache(ttl time.Duration, now func() time.Time) *gameCache {
 	return &gameCache{entries: make(map[uuid.UUID]*cachedGame), ttl: ttl, now: now}
 }
 
-// get returns the live game for id and refreshes its idle timer, or (nil, false).
-func (c *gameCache) get(id uuid.UUID) (*engine.Game, bool) {
+// get returns the live game and its immutable seat list for id and refreshes its idle
+// timer, or (nil, nil, false). The seats let a read check membership (and label seats)
+// without re-loading the game from the store, since seats never change after a game starts.
+func (c *gameCache) get(id uuid.UUID) (*engine.Game, []Seat, bool) {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 	e, ok := c.entries[id]
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, false
+		return nil, nil, false
 	}
 	e.lastAccess = c.now()
-	return e.game, true
+	return e.game, e.seats, true
 }
 
-// put stores g as the live game for id. variant labels the entry so the active-
-// games gauge can report counts by variant without inspecting engine internals.
-func (c *gameCache) put(id uuid.UUID, g *engine.Game, variant string) {
+// put stores g as the live game for id together with its seat list. variant labels the
+// entry so the active-games gauge can report counts by variant without inspecting engine
+// internals; seats are the game's immutable seat standings for the membership fast path.
+func (c *gameCache) put(id uuid.UUID, g *engine.Game, variant string, seats []Seat) {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-	c.entries[id] = &cachedGame{game: g, variant: variant, lastAccess: c.now()}
+	c.entries[id] = &cachedGame{game: g, seats: seats, variant: variant, lastAccess: c.now()}
 }
 
 // remove drops id from the cache (used on a finished game and after a failed

backend/internal/game/emit_test.go

@@ -68,10 +68,6 @@ func TestEmitMoveNotifiesActor(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := string(yt.ScoreLine()); got != "13:19" { // seat 1 (recipient) first, then seat 0
 		t.Errorf("your_turn score_line = %q, want 13:19", got)
 	}
-	// Routed out-of-app by the game's language (the default Variant is English).
-	if yourTurn.Language != "en" {
-		t.Errorf("your_turn language = %q, want en", yourTurn.Language)
-	}
 }
 
 // TestEmitMoveAnnouncesGameOver checks the closing move sends a game_over push to every seat,
@@ -106,7 +102,4 @@ func TestEmitMoveAnnouncesGameOver(t *testing.T) {
 	if string(l.Result()) != "lost" || string(l.ScoreLine()) != "95:120" {
 		t.Errorf("loser game_over = %q / %q, want lost / 95:120", l.Result(), l.ScoreLine())
 	}
-	if over[winner].Language != "en" || over[loser].Language != "en" {
-		t.Errorf("game_over languages = %q/%q, want en/en", over[winner].Language, over[loser].Language)
-	}
 }

backend/internal/game/eventwire.go

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ func playerState(v StateView, names []string, includeAlphabet bool) (notify.Play
 		Rack:           rack,
 		BagLen:         v.BagLen,
 		HintsRemaining: v.HintsRemaining,
+		WalletBalance:  v.WalletBalance,
 	}
 	if includeAlphabet {
 		tab, err := engine.AlphabetTable(v.Game.Variant)

backend/internal/game/helpers_test.go

@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ func TestGameCacheEviction(t *testing.T) {
 	cur := time.Unix(1_700_000_000, 0)
 	cache := newGameCache(time.Hour, func() time.Time { return cur })
 	id := uuid.New()
-	cache.put(id, nil, "scrabble_en")
-	if _, ok := cache.get(id); !ok {
+	cache.put(id, nil, "scrabble_en", nil)
+	if _, _, ok := cache.get(id); !ok {
 		t.Fatal("game must be resident after put")
 	}
 	cur = cur.Add(30 * time.Minute)
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func TestGameCacheEviction(t *testing.T) {
 	if n := cache.sweep(); n != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("sweep evicted %d, want 1", n)
 	}
-	if _, ok := cache.get(id); ok {
+	if _, _, ok := cache.get(id); ok {
 		t.Error("game must be evicted after idle TTL")
 	}
 	if cache.size() != 0 {

backend/internal/game/replay_timeline.go

@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+)
+
+// ReplayStep is one step of an admin game replay: the move that produced it (nil for the
+// initial dealt state, step 0) and the resulting position — every seat's rack, the running
+// scores, whose turn it is and the bag remainder. Step k's board is the union of every
+// play's placements through step k, which the renderer accumulates onto an empty grid
+// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §9.1 visual replay).
+type ReplayStep struct {
+	// Move is the journalled move that produced this state, or nil for the initial deal.
+	Move *HistoryMove
+	// Drawn lists the tiles the mover drew from the bag after this move ("?" for a blank);
+	// empty for the initial deal, a pass or a resignation.
+	Drawn []string
+	// Racks holds every seat's rack at this step, indexed by seat ("?" for a blank).
+	Racks [][]string
+	// Scores holds every seat's running score, indexed by seat.
+	Scores []int
+	// ToMove is the seat to move at this step.
+	ToMove int
+	// BagLen is the number of tiles left in the bag at this step.
+	BagLen int
+}
+
+// ReplayTimelineView is the admin replay of a game: the persisted game plus the ordered
+// replay steps (the initial deal followed by one step per journalled move).
+type ReplayTimelineView struct {
+	Game  Game
+	Steps []ReplayStep
+}
+
+// ReplayTimeline rebuilds a game from its pinned seed and journal and returns the ordered
+// replay steps for the admin console: the initial deal (step 0) then one step per
+// journalled move, each carrying the resulting racks, scores, turn cursor, bag size and the
+// tiles the mover drew. The deterministic bag makes the reconstruction exact. It needs no
+// dictionary beyond the engine the seed deals, and — like the live replay — stops early if a
+// committed move became illegal under tightened rules rather than failing.
+func (svc *Service) ReplayTimeline(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (ReplayTimelineView, error) {
+	pre, err := svc.store.GetGame(ctx, gameID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ReplayTimelineView{}, err
+	}
+	seed, err := svc.store.GameSeed(ctx, gameID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ReplayTimelineView{}, err
+	}
+	g, err := engine.New(svc.registry, engine.Options{
+		Variant:              pre.Variant,
+		Version:              pre.DictVersion,
+		Players:              pre.Players,
+		Seed:                 seed,
+		DropoutTiles:         pre.DropoutTiles,
+		MultipleWordsPerTurn: pre.MultipleWordsPerTurn,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return ReplayTimelineView{}, err
+	}
+	moves, err := svc.store.GetJournal(ctx, gameID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ReplayTimelineView{}, err
+	}
+	steps := make([]ReplayStep, 0, len(moves)+1)
+	steps = append(steps, snapshotStep(g, nil, nil))
+	for i := range moves {
+		mv := moves[i]
+		before := g.Hand(mv.Seat)
+		if err := replayMove(g, mv); err != nil {
+			if errors.Is(err, engine.ErrIllegalPlay) {
+				g.Abort()
+				break
+			}
+			return ReplayTimelineView{}, fmt.Errorf("game: replay-timeline %s move %d: %w", gameID, mv.Seq, err)
+		}
+		moveCopy := mv
+		steps = append(steps, snapshotStep(g, &moveCopy, drawnTiles(before, g.Hand(mv.Seat), usedTiles(mv))))
+	}
+	return ReplayTimelineView{Game: pre, Steps: steps}, nil
+}
+
+// snapshotStep captures the position after applying move (nil for the initial deal): every
+// seat's rack and score, the turn cursor and the bag size, with the supplied drawn tiles.
+func snapshotStep(g *engine.Game, move *HistoryMove, drawn []string) ReplayStep {
+	n := g.Players()
+	racks := make([][]string, n)
+	scores := make([]int, n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		racks[i] = g.Hand(i)
+		scores[i] = g.Score(i)
+	}
+	return ReplayStep{Move: move, Drawn: drawn, Racks: racks, Scores: scores, ToMove: g.ToMove(), BagLen: g.BagLen()}
+}
+
+// usedTiles returns the rack tiles a move consumed ("?" for a blank): the placed tiles of a
+// play or the swapped tiles of an exchange; a pass or resignation consumes none.
+func usedTiles(mv HistoryMove) []string {
+	switch mv.Action {
+	case "play":
+		used := make([]string, len(mv.Tiles))
+		for i, t := range mv.Tiles {
+			if t.Blank {
+				used[i] = "?" // a placed blank leaves the rack as the blank marker
+			} else {
+				used[i] = t.Letter
+			}
+		}
+		return used
+	case "exchange":
+		return mv.Exchanged
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// drawnTiles returns the tiles the mover drew from the bag: the post-move rack (after) minus
+// the tiles kept (before minus used). It compares the racks as multisets, so duplicate
+// letters are counted correctly.
+func drawnTiles(before, after, used []string) []string {
+	kept := make(map[string]int, len(before))
+	for _, t := range before {
+		kept[t]++
+	}
+	for _, t := range used {
+		if kept[t] > 0 {
+			kept[t]--
+		}
+	}
+	var drawn []string
+	for _, t := range after {
+		if kept[t] > 0 {
+			kept[t]--
+			continue
+		}
+		drawn = append(drawn, t)
+	}
+	return drawn
+}

backend/internal/game/replay_timeline_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+)
+
+func TestUsedTiles(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		mv   HistoryMove
+		want []string
+	}{
+		{"pass", HistoryMove{Action: "pass"}, nil},
+		{"resign", HistoryMove{Action: "resign"}, nil},
+		{"play with blank", HistoryMove{Action: "play", Tiles: []engine.TileRecord{{Letter: "a"}, {Letter: "b", Blank: true}}}, []string{"a", "?"}},
+		{"exchange", HistoryMove{Action: "exchange", Exchanged: []string{"a", "?"}}, []string{"a", "?"}},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := usedTiles(tt.mv); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("usedTiles = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDrawnTiles(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name         string
+		before, used []string
+		after        []string
+		want         []string
+	}{
+		{"play refill", []string{"a", "b", "c", "d"}, []string{"a", "b"}, []string{"c", "d", "e", "f"}, []string{"e", "f"}},
+		{"blank played", []string{"?", "a"}, []string{"?"}, []string{"a", "x"}, []string{"x"}},
+		{"pass keeps rack", []string{"a", "b"}, nil, []string{"a", "b"}, nil},
+		{"duplicate letters", []string{"e", "e", "e"}, []string{"e"}, []string{"e", "e", "q"}, []string{"q"}},
+		{"empty bag no refill", []string{"a", "b"}, []string{"a"}, []string{"b"}, nil},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := drawnTiles(tt.before, tt.after, tt.used); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("drawnTiles = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

backend/internal/game/seating.go

@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"fmt"
+	"math/big"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+)
+
+// maxSeedingRounds caps the first-move draw's tie re-draws. With a real bag a tie
+// breaks with positive probability each round, so this is reached only by a
+// degenerate (e.g. test) entropy source that ties forever; the cap turns that into
+// an error instead of an infinite loop.
+const maxSeedingRounds = 1000
+
+// SetupDraw is one recorded tile draw of the first-move seeding — one row of
+// game_setup_draws (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6, §9): the round, the draw order within
+// it, the seated account that drew, and the decoded tile with its rank. It is
+// dictionary-independent: the letter, the blank flag and the numeric rank describe
+// the draw without any alphabet table.
+type SetupDraw struct {
+	Round   int
+	PickNo  int
+	Account uuid.UUID
+	Letter  string
+	Blank   bool
+	Rank    int
+}
+
+// seedingResult is the outcome of the first-move seeding: the winning account, the
+// seated accounts rotated so the winner leads (seat 0), and the full draw log to
+// persist.
+type seedingResult struct {
+	winner uuid.UUID
+	order  []uuid.UUID
+	draws  []SetupDraw
+}
+
+// drawIntn returns a uniformly random integer in [0, n) for n > 0. It is the
+// entropy seam of the first-move seeding: production uses crypto/rand (cryptoIntn),
+// so every draw is honestly random with no single seed; tests inject a
+// deterministic source.
+type drawIntn func(n int) (int, error)
+
+// cryptoIntn draws a uniform integer in [0, n) from crypto/rand — the honest,
+// seedless entropy the first-move draw requires.
+func cryptoIntn(n int) (int, error) {
+	v, err := rand.Int(rand.Reader, big.NewInt(int64(n)))
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("game: first-move draw entropy: %w", err)
+	}
+	return int(v.Int64()), nil
+}
+
+// seedFirstMove runs the official first-move draw over accounts for variant v,
+// drawing tiles with the entropy source intn. Each round every contender draws one
+// tile (without replacement) from a fresh full bag; the tile closest to "A" wins, a
+// blank beating every letter; contenders tied for the best tile re-draw in the next
+// round until a single leader remains. It returns the leader, the rotation that
+// seats the leader first (preserving the others' seating order), and every draw for
+// the record. It performs no I/O beyond calling intn.
+func seedFirstMove(v engine.Variant, accounts []uuid.UUID, intn drawIntn) (seedingResult, error) {
+	if len(accounts) < 2 {
+		return seedingResult{}, fmt.Errorf("game: first-move seeding needs at least 2 accounts, got %d", len(accounts))
+	}
+	full, err := engine.SetupBag(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return seedingResult{}, err
+	}
+	contenders := append([]uuid.UUID(nil), accounts...)
+	var draws []SetupDraw
+	for round := 1; ; round++ {
+		if round > maxSeedingRounds {
+			return seedingResult{}, fmt.Errorf("game: first-move seeding unresolved after %d rounds", maxSeedingRounds)
+		}
+		bag := append([]engine.SetupTile(nil), full...)
+		picks := make([]engine.SetupTile, len(contenders))
+		for i, acc := range contenders {
+			tile, rest, err := drawSetupTile(bag, intn)
+			if err != nil {
+				return seedingResult{}, err
+			}
+			bag = rest
+			picks[i] = tile
+			draws = append(draws, SetupDraw{
+				Round: round, PickNo: i, Account: acc,
+				Letter: tile.Letter, Blank: tile.Blank, Rank: tile.Rank,
+			})
+		}
+		winners := bestContenders(contenders, picks)
+		if len(winners) == 1 {
+			return seedingResult{winner: winners[0], order: rotateToFirst(accounts, winners[0]), draws: draws}, nil
+		}
+		contenders = winners
+	}
+}
+
+// drawSetupTile removes one uniformly random tile from bag using the entropy source
+// intn and returns it with the shrunk bag (a fresh slice, leaving bag untouched).
+// It is the per-tile draw primitive — the seam a future manual "player N draws a
+// tile" tournament API will drive, one call per external request.
+func drawSetupTile(bag []engine.SetupTile, intn drawIntn) (engine.SetupTile, []engine.SetupTile, error) {
+	if len(bag) == 0 {
+		return engine.SetupTile{}, nil, fmt.Errorf("game: first-move draw from an empty bag")
+	}
+	i, err := intn(len(bag))
+	if err != nil {
+		return engine.SetupTile{}, nil, err
+	}
+	if i < 0 || i >= len(bag) {
+		return engine.SetupTile{}, nil, fmt.Errorf("game: first-move draw index %d out of range %d", i, len(bag))
+	}
+	tile := bag[i]
+	rest := make([]engine.SetupTile, 0, len(bag)-1)
+	rest = append(rest, bag[:i]...)
+	rest = append(rest, bag[i+1:]...)
+	return tile, rest, nil
+}
+
+// bestContenders returns the contenders whose drawn tile has the lowest (best)
+// rank — the sole winner if one, else the tied set that re-draws. picks is aligned
+// with contenders by index.
+func bestContenders(contenders []uuid.UUID, picks []engine.SetupTile) []uuid.UUID {
+	best := picks[0].Rank
+	for _, p := range picks[1:] {
+		if p.Rank < best {
+			best = p.Rank
+		}
+	}
+	var winners []uuid.UUID
+	for i, p := range picks {
+		if p.Rank == best {
+			winners = append(winners, contenders[i])
+		}
+	}
+	return winners
+}
+
+// rotateToFirst returns accounts rotated cyclically so winner sits first (seat 0),
+// preserving the seating order of the rest (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6). winner must be
+// present in accounts.
+func rotateToFirst(accounts []uuid.UUID, winner uuid.UUID) []uuid.UUID {
+	i := 0
+	for ; i < len(accounts); i++ {
+		if accounts[i] == winner {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	out := make([]uuid.UUID, 0, len(accounts))
+	out = append(out, accounts[i:]...)
+	out = append(out, accounts[:i]...)
+	return out
+}

backend/internal/game/seating_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+)
+
+// scriptIntn returns a drawIntn that yields the scripted indices in order, failing
+// the test if the script is exhausted or an index is out of range. It lets a test
+// drive the first-move draw deterministically (English SetupBag order: 9 'a' at
+// 0..8, then 'b' …, blanks last).
+func scriptIntn(t *testing.T, seq ...int) drawIntn {
+	t.Helper()
+	i := 0
+	return func(n int) (int, error) {
+		if i >= len(seq) {
+			t.Fatalf("intn script exhausted (asked for [0,%d))", n)
+		}
+		v := seq[i]
+		i++
+		if v < 0 || v >= n {
+			t.Fatalf("intn script value %d out of range [0,%d)", v, n)
+		}
+		return v, nil
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSeedFirstMoveDirectWinner(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b := uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	// a draws bag[0]='a' (rank 0); b draws bag[8]='b' (rank 1) → a wins, no tie.
+	res, err := seedFirstMove(engine.VariantEnglish, []uuid.UUID{a, b}, scriptIntn(t, 0, 8))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seedFirstMove: %v", err)
+	}
+	if res.winner != a {
+		t.Fatalf("winner = %v, want %v", res.winner, a)
+	}
+	if got := res.order; len(got) != 2 || got[0] != a || got[1] != b {
+		t.Fatalf("order = %v, want [a b]", got)
+	}
+	if len(res.draws) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("draws = %d, want 2", len(res.draws))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSeedFirstMoveBlankSupersedes(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b := uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	// a draws 'a' (rank 0); after the draw the two blanks sit at 97,98 — b draws
+	// bag[97], a blank, which beats every letter.
+	res, err := seedFirstMove(engine.VariantEnglish, []uuid.UUID{a, b}, scriptIntn(t, 0, 97))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seedFirstMove: %v", err)
+	}
+	if res.winner != b {
+		t.Fatalf("winner = %v, want %v (blank supersedes)", res.winner, b)
+	}
+	last := res.draws[len(res.draws)-1]
+	if !last.Blank || last.Rank != engine.BlankRank || last.Letter != "?" {
+		t.Fatalf("winning draw = %+v, want a blank (rank %d, '?')", last, engine.BlankRank)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSeedFirstMoveTieRedraw(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b, c := uuid.New(), uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	// Round 1: a→bag[0]='a'(0), b→bag[0]='a'(0), c→bag[7]='b'(1) → a,b tie best.
+	// Round 2 (a,b only): a→bag[0]='a'(0), b→bag[8]='b'(1) → a wins.
+	res, err := seedFirstMove(engine.VariantEnglish, []uuid.UUID{a, b, c}, scriptIntn(t, 0, 0, 7, 0, 8))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seedFirstMove: %v", err)
+	}
+	if res.winner != a {
+		t.Fatalf("winner = %v, want %v", res.winner, a)
+	}
+	if len(res.draws) != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("draws = %d, want 5 (3 in round 1, 2 in round 2)", len(res.draws))
+	}
+	if res.draws[2].Round != 1 || res.draws[3].Round != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("round boundaries wrong: %+v", res.draws)
+	}
+	// The full table keeps every account's seating order, winner first.
+	if got := res.order; got[0] != a || got[1] != b || got[2] != c {
+		t.Fatalf("order = %v, want [a b c]", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSeedFirstMoveTooFewAccounts(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := seedFirstMove(engine.VariantEnglish, []uuid.UUID{uuid.New()}, scriptIntn(t)); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("want error for a single account")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSeedFirstMovePerpetualTieCapped(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b := uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	// Always drawing bag[0] gives both players an 'a' every round — a tie that never
+	// resolves; the round cap must turn it into an error, not an infinite loop.
+	alwaysZero := drawIntn(func(int) (int, error) { return 0, nil })
+	if _, err := seedFirstMove(engine.VariantEnglish, []uuid.UUID{a, b}, alwaysZero); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("want error when ties never resolve")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRotateToFirst(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b, c, d := uuid.New(), uuid.New(), uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		accounts []uuid.UUID
+		winner   uuid.UUID
+		want     []uuid.UUID
+	}{
+		{"two winner second", []uuid.UUID{a, b}, b, []uuid.UUID{b, a}},
+		{"three winner first", []uuid.UUID{a, b, c}, a, []uuid.UUID{a, b, c}},
+		{"four winner third", []uuid.UUID{a, b, c, d}, c, []uuid.UUID{c, d, a, b}},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := rotateToFirst(tt.accounts, tt.winner)
+			if len(got) != len(tt.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("len = %d, want %d", len(got), len(tt.want))
+			}
+			for i := range got {
+				if got[i] != tt.want[i] {
+					t.Fatalf("rotate = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

backend/internal/game/service.go

@@ -38,15 +38,24 @@ type Service struct {
 	version string
 	clock   func() time.Time
 	rng     func() int64
-	pub     notify.Publisher
+	// firstMoveEntropy returns the entropy source for one game's first-move draw
+	// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6). The default is crypto/rand — an honest, seedless draw;
+	// tests override it via SetFirstMoveEntropy for a deterministic turn order. It is a
+	// factory so a stateful test source restarts cleanly per game.
+	firstMoveEntropy func() drawIntn
+	pub              notify.Publisher
 	// aiTrigger, when set, is called after an honest-AI game is created or advanced and
 	// is still on a robot's potential turn, so the robot replies at once instead of
 	// waiting for the next driver scan. It is fire-and-forget (the robot package wires
 	// its asynchronous TriggerMove); nil disables the fast path (the scan still covers
 	// these games). Kept as a func so the game package never imports the robot package.
 	aiTrigger func(gameID uuid.UUID)
-	metrics   *gameMetrics
-	log       *zap.Logger
+	// clearNudges, when set, marks the actor's pending nudges in a game read once they
+	// have committed a move (a nudge answered by moving stops counting as unread). It is
+	// best-effort and kept as a func so the game package never imports the social package.
+	clearNudges func(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID) error
+	metrics     *gameMetrics
+	log         *zap.Logger
 }
 
 // NewService constructs a Service. store and accounts wrap the same pool;
@@ -55,17 +64,18 @@ type Service struct {
 func NewService(store *Store, accounts *account.Store, registry *engine.Registry, cfg Config, log *zap.Logger) *Service {
 	clock := func() time.Time { return time.Now().UTC() }
 	return &Service{
-		store:    store,
-		accounts: accounts,
-		registry: registry,
-		cache:    newGameCache(cfg.CacheTTL, clock),
-		locks:    newKeyedMutex(),
-		version:  cfg.DictVersion,
-		clock:    clock,
-		rng:      randomSeed,
-		pub:      notify.Nop{},
-		metrics:  defaultGameMetrics(),
-		log:      log,
+		store:            store,
+		accounts:         accounts,
+		registry:         registry,
+		cache:            newGameCache(cfg.CacheTTL, clock),
+		locks:            newKeyedMutex(),
+		version:          cfg.DictVersion,
+		clock:            clock,
+		rng:              randomSeed,
+		firstMoveEntropy: func() drawIntn { return cryptoIntn },
+		pub:              notify.Nop{},
+		metrics:          defaultGameMetrics(),
+		log:              log,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -89,6 +99,26 @@ func (svc *Service) SetAITrigger(trigger func(gameID uuid.UUID)) {
 	svc.aiTrigger = trigger
 }
 
+// SetNudgeClearer installs the hook that marks a mover's pending nudges read after
+// their move commits. It must be called during startup wiring; the default (nil)
+// leaves nudges to be cleared only when the recipient opens the move history or chat.
+// The social package wires its ClearNudges here.
+func (svc *Service) SetNudgeClearer(fn func(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID) error) {
+	svc.clearNudges = fn
+}
+
+// SetFirstMoveEntropy overrides the entropy source for the first-move draw
+// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6). It must be called during wiring or test setup before any
+// game is created; the production default is crypto/rand and is never overridden.
+// factory returns a fresh draw function per game, so a stateful deterministic test
+// source restarts cleanly for each game. It exists for deterministic tests.
+func (svc *Service) SetFirstMoveEntropy(factory func() func(n int) (int, error)) {
+	if factory == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	svc.firstMoveEntropy = func() drawIntn { return drawIntn(factory()) }
+}
+
 // triggerAI fires the honest-AI fast-move hook for an active vs_ai game (best-effort,
 // fire-and-forget). It is a no-op for non-AI games, finished games and when no hook is
 // installed, so callers can invoke it unconditionally after a create or commit.
@@ -179,15 +209,32 @@ func (svc *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, params CreateParams) (Game, erro
 		}
 	}
 	seen := make(map[uuid.UUID]bool, len(params.Seats))
-	seats := make([]seatInsert, len(params.Seats))
-	for i, id := range params.Seats {
+	for _, id := range params.Seats {
 		if seen[id] {
 			return Game{}, fmt.Errorf("%w: account %s seated twice", ErrInvalidConfig, id)
 		}
 		seen[id] = true
-		// Snapshot each seat's display name at creation. For a vs-AI game this stamps the
-		// robot's seeded account name (unchanged behaviour); a disguised auto-match robot
-		// instead gets a fresh per-game name when the reaper attaches it (AttachRobot).
+	}
+
+	// Decide who moves first by the official draw (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6): each seated
+	// account draws a tile, the one closest to "A" leads (a blank supersedes all letters),
+	// ties re-drawing until a single leader remains. Each draw uses fresh entropy, not the
+	// game seed, so the recorded draws — persisted with the game — are the only account of
+	// the outcome. The winner takes seat 0; the rest keep their order.
+	seeding, err := seedFirstMove(params.Variant, params.Seats, svc.firstMoveEntropy())
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, engine.ErrUnknownVariant) {
+			return Game{}, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrInvalidConfig, err)
+		}
+		return Game{}, err
+	}
+
+	// Build the seats in the drawn turn order, snapshotting each seat's display name. For a
+	// vs-AI game this stamps the robot's seeded account name (unchanged behaviour); a
+	// disguised auto-match robot instead gets a fresh per-game name when the reaper attaches
+	// it (AttachRobot).
+	seats := make([]seatInsert, len(seeding.order))
+	for i, id := range seeding.order {
 		acc, err := svc.accounts.GetByID(ctx, id)
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, account.ErrNotFound) {
@@ -237,15 +284,15 @@ func (svc *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, params CreateParams) (Game, erro
 		multipleWordsPerTurn: params.MultipleWordsPerTurn,
 		vsAI:                 params.VsAI,
 	}
-	if err := svc.store.CreateGame(ctx, ins, seats); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.store.CreateGame(ctx, ins, seats, seeding.draws); err != nil {
 		return Game{}, err
 	}
-	svc.cache.put(id, g, params.Variant.String())
 	svc.metrics.recordStarted(ctx, params.Variant, params.VsAI)
 	created, err := svc.store.GetGame(ctx, id)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Game{}, err
 	}
+	svc.cache.put(id, g, params.Variant.String(), created.Seats)
 	// Honest-AI game seated with a robot: if the robot moves first, reply at once
 	// (the periodic driver is the fallback). No-op for every human-only game.
 	svc.triggerAI(created)
@@ -254,14 +301,15 @@ func (svc *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, params CreateParams) (Game, erro
 
 // OpenOrJoin enters accountID into auto-match for the variant and per-turn rule in
 // params and returns the game they land in immediately: another waiting player's open
-// game (joined=true), the caller's own still-open game on a re-enqueue, or a fresh open
-// game seating only the caller with an empty opponent seat that a human or the reaper's
-// robot fills later. openDeadline is when the reaper substitutes a robot into a freshly
-// opened game (ignored when joining one). The bag seed defaults to random; params.Seed
+// game (joined=true), or a fresh open game seating only the caller with an empty
+// opponent seat that a human or the reaper's robot fills later. A re-enqueue while the
+// caller is already waiting opens another game rather than returning their own.
+// openDeadline is when the reaper substitutes a robot into a freshly opened game
+// (ignored when joining one). The bag seed defaults to random; params.Seed
 // pins it. First-move fairness comes from seating the caller at seat 0 or seat 1
 // (derived from the seed): seated at seat 1, the still-empty seat 0 moves first, so the
 // caller just waits for the opponent. It backs the lobby auto-match enqueue.
-func (svc *Service) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, params CreateParams, openDeadline time.Time) (Game, bool, error) {
+func (svc *Service) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, params CreateParams, openDeadline time.Time, exclude []uuid.UUID) (Game, bool, error) {
 	acc, err := svc.accounts.GetByID(ctx, accountID)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, account.ErrNotFound) {
@@ -299,14 +347,27 @@ func (svc *Service) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, params
 		status:               StatusOpen,
 		openDeadline:         &deadline,
 	}
-	// Seat the caller at seat 0 or seat 1 (seat 0 always moves first), snapshotting their
-	// display name; the other seat is left empty (a zero seatInsert) for the opponent.
-	caller := seatInsert{accountID: accountID, displayName: acc.DisplayName}
-	seats := []seatInsert{caller, {}}
-	if seed&1 == 1 {
-		seats = []seatInsert{{}, caller}
+	// Decide the first move now by the official draw, with the not-yet-arrived opponent as a
+	// synthetic placeholder (uuid.Nil): the draw fixes who sits at seat 0 — and so moves
+	// first — before either player acts (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6). The caller takes their
+	// drawn seat; the opponent seat is left empty. The opponent's draw rows are recorded with
+	// a NULL account and back-filled when a real opponent joins. Each draw uses fresh entropy,
+	// not the game seed. seats/draws are used only when a fresh game is opened.
+	seeding, err := seedFirstMove(params.Variant, []uuid.UUID{accountID, uuid.Nil}, svc.firstMoveEntropy())
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, engine.ErrUnknownVariant) {
+			return Game{}, false, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrInvalidConfig, err)
+		}
+		return Game{}, false, err
 	}
-	gameID, joined, created, err := svc.store.OpenOrJoin(ctx, accountID, acc.DisplayName, ins, seats)
+	caller := seatInsert{accountID: accountID, displayName: acc.DisplayName}
+	seats := make([]seatInsert, len(seeding.order))
+	for seat, who := range seeding.order {
+		if who == accountID {
+			seats[seat] = caller // the empty opponent seat stays a zero seatInsert
+		}
+	}
+	gameID, joined, created, err := svc.store.OpenOrJoin(ctx, accountID, acc.DisplayName, ins, seats, exclude, seeding.draws)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Game{}, false, err
 	}
@@ -493,16 +554,6 @@ func (svc *Service) GameVariant(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (engine.V
 	return svc.store.GetGameVariant(ctx, gameID)
 }
 
-// GameLanguage returns the game's language tag ("en"/"ru"), derived from its variant, so a
-// game push routes out-of-app to the game's own bot rather than the recipient's last-login bot.
-func (svc *Service) GameLanguage(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (string, error) {
-	v, err := svc.GameVariant(ctx, gameID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return v.Language(), nil
-}
-
 // RobotSchedule returns a game's bag seed and turn-start time, for the admin console's
 // robot-schedule panel (the deterministic play-to-win intent and next-move ETA).
 func (svc *Service) RobotSchedule(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (seed int64, turnStartedAt time.Time, err error) {
@@ -534,8 +585,9 @@ func (svc *Service) transition(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID,
 		return MoveResult{}, ErrNotAPlayer
 	}
 	// A move is allowed while the game is active or still open (the starter may move on
-	// their turn before an opponent joins); only a finished game rejects it. The turn
-	// check below keeps the starter off the still-empty opponent seat.
+	// their turn before an opponent joins; the first-move draw ran when the game opened, so
+	// the seats are already fixed); only a finished game rejects it. The turn check below
+	// keeps the starter off the still-empty opponent seat.
 	if pre.Status == StatusFinished {
 		return MoveResult{}, ErrFinished
 	}
@@ -567,6 +619,13 @@ func (svc *Service) transition(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID,
 		return MoveResult{}, err
 	}
 	svc.afterCommitDrafts(ctx, gameID, accountID, rec)
+	// A nudge the actor answered by moving stops counting as unread (best-effort; the
+	// move has committed, so a cleanup failure is logged, not surfaced).
+	if svc.clearNudges != nil {
+		if err := svc.clearNudges(ctx, gameID, accountID); err != nil {
+			svc.log.Warn("clear nudges after move", zap.Error(err))
+		}
+	}
 	// Record the seat's think time (turn start to commit) for the move-duration
 	// metric; the timeout path commits separately and is excluded by design.
 	svc.metrics.recordMoveDuration(ctx, pre.Variant, post.MoveCount, svc.clock().Sub(pre.TurnStartedAt))
@@ -671,9 +730,6 @@ func (svc *Service) emitMove(ctx context.Context, post Game, rec engine.MoveReco
 		}
 		intents = append(intents, notify.OpponentMoved(s.AccountID, post.ID, rec, summary, bagLen))
 	}
-	// Game pushes are routed out-of-app by the game's own language, not the recipient's
-	// last-login bot.
-	lang := post.Variant.Language()
 	switch post.Status {
 	case StatusActive:
 		// Honest-AI games suppress your_turn: the robot replies instantly, so a "your turn"
@@ -688,7 +744,6 @@ func (svc *Service) emitMove(ctx context.Context, post Game, rec engine.MoveReco
 			}
 			opponent := svc.displayName(ctx, post.Seats, rec.Player)
 			yourTurn := notify.YourTurn(next, post.ID, deadline, opponent, action, word, scoreLine(post, post.ToMove), post.MoveCount)
-			yourTurn.Language = lang
 			intents = append(intents, yourTurn)
 		}
 	case StatusFinished:
@@ -700,7 +755,6 @@ func (svc *Service) emitMove(ctx context.Context, post Game, rec engine.MoveReco
 				continue
 			}
 			over := notify.GameOver(s.AccountID, post.ID, seatResult(post.Seats, s.Seat), scoreLine(post, s.Seat), summary)
-			over.Language = lang
 			intents = append(intents, over)
 		}
 	}
@@ -836,26 +890,35 @@ func (svc *Service) timeoutGame(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID, now time.
 // EvaluatePlay previews a tentative play for a seated player against the current
 // board without committing it: whether it is legal and what it would score.
 func (svc *Service) EvaluatePlay(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID, tiles []engine.TileRecord) (EvalResult, error) {
-	pre, err := svc.store.GetGame(ctx, gameID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return EvalResult{}, err
-	}
-	if _, ok := pre.seatOf(accountID); !ok {
-		return EvalResult{}, ErrNotAPlayer
-	}
-	if pre.Status == StatusFinished {
-		return EvalResult{}, ErrFinished
-	}
-
 	unlock := svc.locks.lock(gameID)
 	defer unlock()
-	g, err := svc.liveGame(ctx, pre)
-	if err != nil {
-		return EvalResult{}, err
+
+	// Hot path: an active game stays cached — the engine game is mutated in place across
+	// moves and evicted only when it finishes — so on a hit the cached live game and its
+	// immutable seat list answer the membership check and the score with no DB read. This
+	// preview is fired on every tile placement, the hottest gameplay call at scale.
+	g, seats, ok := svc.cache.get(gameID)
+	if !ok {
+		// Cold path: load and validate from the store, then replay into the cache.
+		pre, err := svc.store.GetGame(ctx, gameID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return EvalResult{}, err
+		}
+		if pre.Status == StatusFinished {
+			return EvalResult{}, ErrFinished
+		}
+		if g, err = svc.liveGame(ctx, pre); err != nil {
+			return EvalResult{}, err
+		}
+		seats = pre.Seats
 	}
+	if !seatedIn(seats, accountID) {
+		return EvalResult{}, ErrNotAPlayer
+	}
+
 	validateStart := time.Now()
 	rec, err := g.EvaluatePlay(tiles)
-	svc.metrics.recordValidate(ctx, pre.Variant, validateStart)
+	svc.metrics.recordValidate(ctx, g.Variant(), validateStart)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, engine.ErrIllegalPlay) {
 			return EvalResult{Valid: false}, nil
@@ -1008,12 +1071,7 @@ func (svc *Service) Hint(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID) (Hint
 	}
 
 	walletAfter := acc.HintBalance
-	if fromAllowance {
-		if err := svc.store.SpendHintAllowance(ctx, gameID, seat); err != nil {
-			return HintResult{}, err
-		}
-		used++
-	} else {
+	if !fromAllowance {
 		spent, err := svc.accounts.SpendHint(ctx, accountID)
 		if err != nil {
 			return HintResult{}, err
@@ -1023,7 +1081,14 @@ func (svc *Service) Hint(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID) (Hint
 		}
 		walletAfter--
 	}
-	return HintResult{Move: move, HintsRemaining: hintsRemaining(pre.HintsPerPlayer, used, walletAfter)}, nil
+	// hints_used is the per-game total (allowance + wallet): every hint increments it. The first
+	// HintsPerPlayer hints are the free allowance (so fromAllowance above stays correct); the rest
+	// are charged to the wallet. Counting all hints feeds the player's lifetime hint statistics.
+	if err := svc.store.IncHintsUsed(ctx, gameID, seat); err != nil {
+		return HintResult{}, err
+	}
+	used++
+	return HintResult{Move: move, HintsRemaining: hintsRemaining(pre.HintsPerPlayer, used, walletAfter), WalletBalance: walletAfter}, nil
 }
 
 // Candidates returns the to-move player's legal plays for a seated player on
@@ -1111,6 +1176,7 @@ func (svc *Service) GameState(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID)
 		Rack:           g.Hand(seat),
 		BagLen:         g.BagLen(),
 		HintsRemaining: hintsRemaining(pre.HintsPerPlayer, pre.Seats[seat].HintsUsed, acc.HintBalance),
+		WalletBalance:  acc.HintBalance,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -1171,13 +1237,45 @@ func (svc *Service) SharedGame(ctx context.Context, a, b uuid.UUID) (bool, error
 	return svc.store.SharedGameExists(ctx, a, b)
 }
 
-// ListForAccount returns every game the account is seated in, newest first, for the
-// lobby's active/finished lists. The live position is not loaded — the summaries come
-// straight from the durable rows.
+// ListForAccount returns every game the account is seated in, newest first — the full
+// set behind the admin console, the account-merge count and the block-time forfeit
+// sweep. The player's own lobby uses ListForLobby, which drops the honest-AI games the
+// player left. The live position is not loaded — the summaries come straight from the
+// durable rows.
 func (svc *Service) ListForAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) ([]Game, error) {
 	return svc.store.ListGamesForAccount(ctx, accountID)
 }
 
+// ListForLobby returns the games shown in the account's own lobby: ListForAccount minus
+// the honest-AI games the player left — by resigning or by abandoning to the inactivity
+// timeout (games.end_reason 'resign'/'timeout') — which drop out of the finished list
+// automatically. The robot never leaves (it moves at once, never sleeps, never resigns),
+// so only a human's departure matches; the predicate is a game property, not a seat
+// check, so it extends to any player should the robot ever resign. Admin and
+// account-merge views keep using ListForAccount and see the full set.
+func (svc *Service) ListForLobby(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) ([]Game, error) {
+	games, err := svc.ListForAccount(ctx, accountID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	kept := games[:0]
+	for _, g := range games {
+		if g.VsAI && (g.EndReason == "resign" || g.EndReason == "timeout") {
+			continue
+		}
+		kept = append(kept, g)
+	}
+	return kept, nil
+}
+
+// CountActiveQuickGames reports how many in-progress quick games the account holds —
+// the count the simultaneous-game limit (MaxActiveQuickGames) is checked against. It
+// counts active and still-open quick games (including honest-AI ones) and excludes
+// friend games created by invitation and finished games. See Store.CountActiveQuickGames.
+func (svc *Service) CountActiveQuickGames(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) (int, error) {
+	return svc.store.CountActiveQuickGames(ctx, accountID)
+}
+
 // HideGame hides a finished game from accountID's own lobby (it stays visible to the other
 // players); it is irreversible by design. Only a player of a finished game may hide it
 // (ErrNotAPlayer / ErrGameActive otherwise); hiding an already-hidden game is a no-op.
@@ -1232,6 +1330,14 @@ func (svc *Service) History(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (HistoryView,
 	return HistoryView{Game: g, Moves: moves}, nil
 }
 
+// SetupDraws returns a game's recorded first-move draws (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6), ordered by
+// round then pick. It backs the admin console's first-move section. An auto-match opponent's
+// draws carry uuid.Nil until a real opponent joins and back-fills them; an empty slice means
+// the game predates the draw record.
+func (svc *Service) SetupDraws(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) ([]SetupDraw, error) {
+	return svc.store.SetupDraws(ctx, gameID)
+}
+
 // ExportGCG renders a game as GCG text from the journal alone (no dictionary). It
 // is allowed only on a finished game: exporting an in-progress game would leak the
 // full move journal mid-play, so an active game yields ErrGameActive.
@@ -1262,7 +1368,7 @@ func (svc *Service) ExportGCG(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID) (string, er
 // liveGame returns the live engine.Game for pre, rebuilding it from the journal
 // on a cache miss. Callers must hold the per-game lock.
 func (svc *Service) liveGame(ctx context.Context, pre Game) (*engine.Game, error) {
-	if g, ok := svc.cache.get(pre.ID); ok {
+	if g, _, ok := svc.cache.get(pre.ID); ok {
 		return g, nil
 	}
 	g, err := svc.replay(ctx, pre)
@@ -1277,7 +1383,7 @@ func (svc *Service) liveGame(ctx context.Context, pre Game) (*engine.Game, error
 		}
 	}
 	if !g.Over() {
-		svc.cache.put(pre.ID, g, pre.Variant.String())
+		svc.cache.put(pre.ID, g, pre.Variant.String(), pre.Seats)
 	}
 	return g, nil
 }
@@ -1368,19 +1474,45 @@ func replayMove(g *engine.Game, mv HistoryMove) error {
 }
 
 // buildStats derives each seat's statistics contribution from a finished game:
-// win/loss/draw from the (resignation-aware) winner, the final score, and the
-// best single-move score from the log.
+// win/loss/draw from the (resignation-aware) winner, the final score, and the best
+// single play from the log — its score and, for the per-variant breakdown, its main
+// word as rendering tiles. Blank flags are taken from every blank ever placed (so a
+// blank laid by an earlier move and embedded in the best word is honoured), which is
+// equivalent to reading the final board since a placed tile never moves.
 func buildStats(g *engine.Game, seats []Seat) []statDelta {
 	res := g.Result()
-	best := make(map[int]int)
+	bestRec := make(map[int]engine.MoveRecord)
+	blanks := make(map[[2]int]bool)
+	plays := make(map[int]int) // per player: count of plays (tile placements), for the "moves" stat
 	for _, rec := range g.Log() {
-		if rec.Action == engine.ActionPlay && rec.Score > best[rec.Player] {
-			best[rec.Player] = rec.Score
+		if rec.Action != engine.ActionPlay {
+			continue
+		}
+		plays[rec.Player]++
+		for _, t := range rec.Tiles {
+			if t.Blank {
+				blanks[[2]int{t.Row, t.Col}] = true
+			}
+		}
+		if cur, ok := bestRec[rec.Player]; !ok || rec.Score > cur.Score {
+			bestRec[rec.Player] = rec
 		}
 	}
+	variant := g.Variant().String()
+	values := letterValues(g.Variant())
 	out := make([]statDelta, 0, len(seats))
 	for _, s := range seats {
-		d := statDelta{accountID: s.AccountID, gamePoints: g.Score(s.Seat), wordPoints: best[s.Seat]}
+		// moves counts the seat's plays; hintsUsed is the seat's total hints this game. Both are
+		// summed into account_stats so the screen can show the hint share (hints_used / moves).
+		d := statDelta{accountID: s.AccountID, gamePoints: g.Score(s.Seat), moves: plays[s.Seat], hintsUsed: s.HintsUsed}
+		if rec, ok := bestRec[s.Seat]; ok {
+			d.wordPoints = rec.Score
+			if rec.Score > 0 {
+				d.bestVariant = variant
+				d.bestScore = rec.Score
+				d.bestTiles = mainWordTiles(rec, blanks, values)
+			}
+		}
 		switch {
 		case res.Winner < 0:
 			d.draws = 1
@@ -1394,6 +1526,49 @@ func buildStats(g *engine.Game, seats []Seat) []statDelta {
 	return out
 }
 
+// letterValues builds a lower-cased letter -> tile value lookup for a variant from the
+// engine's alphabet table, so a best-move word can be rendered with per-tile values on a
+// screen (statistics) that has not cached the variant's alphabet. It is empty for an
+// unrecognised variant, leaving every value zero.
+func letterValues(v engine.Variant) map[string]int {
+	table, err := engine.AlphabetTable(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	m := make(map[string]int, len(table))
+	for _, e := range table {
+		m[strings.ToLower(e.Letter)] = e.Value
+	}
+	return m
+}
+
+// mainWordTiles decodes a play's main word into rendering tiles: each letter with its
+// tile value (0 for a blank) and blank flag. blanks is the set of board coordinates a
+// blank was ever placed on; values maps a lower-cased letter to its tile value. It walks
+// the word from its first-letter coordinate along the play's orientation.
+func mainWordTiles(rec engine.MoveRecord, blanks map[[2]int]bool, values map[string]int) []account.BestMoveTile {
+	if len(rec.Words) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	dr, dc := 0, 1
+	if rec.Dir == engine.Vertical {
+		dr, dc = 1, 0
+	}
+	letters := []rune(rec.Words[0])
+	out := make([]account.BestMoveTile, len(letters))
+	for i, r := range letters {
+		row, col := rec.MainRow+i*dr, rec.MainCol+i*dc
+		blank := blanks[[2]int{row, col}]
+		letter := string(r)
+		value := 0
+		if !blank {
+			value = values[strings.ToLower(letter)]
+		}
+		out[i] = account.BestMoveTile{Letter: letter, Value: value, Blank: blank}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 // nonGuestSeats filters out guest seats so the finish-time statistics are
 // recomputed for durable non-guest accounts only — guests never accrue
 // statistics (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §9). It is called once per game, on finish.

backend/internal/game/stats_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+)
+
+// TestMainWordTilesHorizontalWithBlank checks that a horizontal main word is decoded into
+// tiles along its row, that the per-letter value is looked up from the value table, and that
+// a blank cell (here the middle 'a') is rendered with a zero value regardless of its letter
+// value — the blank flag is taken from the placed-blank set, not from this move's own tiles.
+func TestMainWordTilesHorizontalWithBlank(t *testing.T) {
+	rec := engine.MoveRecord{Dir: engine.Horizontal, MainRow: 7, MainCol: 5, Words: []string{"cat"}}
+	blanks := map[[2]int]bool{{7, 6}: true}
+	values := map[string]int{"c": 3, "a": 1, "t": 1}
+	got := mainWordTiles(rec, blanks, values)
+	want := []account.BestMoveTile{
+		{Letter: "c", Value: 3, Blank: false},
+		{Letter: "a", Value: 0, Blank: true},
+		{Letter: "t", Value: 1, Blank: false},
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("mainWordTiles = %+v, want %+v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestMainWordTilesVerticalCyrillic checks vertical walk and multi-byte (Cyrillic) letters:
+// the word must be split by rune, not byte, and laid down its column.
+func TestMainWordTilesVerticalCyrillic(t *testing.T) {
+	rec := engine.MoveRecord{Dir: engine.Vertical, MainRow: 3, MainCol: 8, Words: []string{"съёмка"}}
+	values := map[string]int{"с": 1, "ъ": 10, "ё": 4, "м": 2, "к": 2, "а": 1}
+	got := mainWordTiles(rec, map[[2]int]bool{}, values)
+	want := []account.BestMoveTile{
+		{Letter: "с", Value: 1}, {Letter: "ъ", Value: 10}, {Letter: "ё", Value: 4},
+		{Letter: "м", Value: 2}, {Letter: "к", Value: 2}, {Letter: "а", Value: 1},
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("mainWordTiles = %+v, want %+v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestMainWordTilesNoWord checks the defensive nil for a record carrying no words.
+func TestMainWordTilesNoWord(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := mainWordTiles(engine.MoveRecord{}, nil, nil); got != nil {
+		t.Errorf("mainWordTiles(no words) = %+v, want nil", got)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/game/store.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package game
 import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"hash/fnv"
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-jet/jet/v2/qrm"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table"
@@ -53,13 +55,22 @@ type gameInsert struct {
 }
 
 // statDelta is one account's contribution to its statistics on a game finish.
+// bestVariant/bestScore/bestTiles describe the game's best play for this account when
+// it scored (bestVariant empty otherwise): the variant label, the play's total score and
+// its main word as rendering tiles. They feed the per-variant account_best_move upsert,
+// which keeps only the account's highest-scoring play per variant.
 type statDelta struct {
-	accountID  uuid.UUID
-	wins       int
-	losses     int
-	draws      int
-	gamePoints int
-	wordPoints int
+	accountID   uuid.UUID
+	wins        int
+	losses      int
+	draws       int
+	gamePoints  int
+	wordPoints  int
+	moves       int // plays this game (tile placements), summed into account_stats.moves
+	hintsUsed   int // hints used this game (allowance + wallet), summed into account_stats.hints_used
+	bestVariant string
+	bestScore   int
+	bestTiles   []account.BestMoveTile
 }
 
 // commit is everything a single committed transition persists: the journal row,
@@ -116,11 +127,14 @@ type seatInsert struct {
 	displayName string
 }
 
-// CreateGame inserts the games row and one game_players row per seat (seat 0
-// first) inside a single transaction.
-func (s *Store) CreateGame(ctx context.Context, ins gameInsert, seats []seatInsert) error {
+// CreateGame inserts the games row, one game_players row per seat (seat 0 first) and
+// the first-move seeding draws inside a single transaction.
+func (s *Store) CreateGame(ctx context.Context, ins gameInsert, seats []seatInsert, draws []SetupDraw) error {
 	return withTx(ctx, s.db, func(tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		return insertGameTx(ctx, tx, ins, seats)
+		if err := insertGameTx(ctx, tx, ins, seats); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return insertSetupDrawsTx(ctx, tx, ins.id, draws)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -162,6 +176,30 @@ func insertGameTx(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, ins gameInsert, seats []seatI
 	return nil
 }
 
+// insertSetupDrawsTx appends the first-move seeding draws for game gameID on tx —
+// the dictionary-independent record of how the first player was chosen
+// (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6). The games row must already exist on tx (the foreign
+// key), so it runs after insertGameTx. An empty draws slice is a no-op.
+func insertSetupDrawsTx(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, gameID uuid.UUID, draws []SetupDraw) error {
+	for _, d := range draws {
+		// A uuid.Nil account marks the synthetic opponent of an auto-match draw, persisted as
+		// a NULL account_id and back-filled when a real opponent joins.
+		var acc any = d.Account
+		if d.Account == uuid.Nil {
+			acc = postgres.NULL
+		}
+		di := table.GameSetupDraws.INSERT(
+			table.GameSetupDraws.GameID, table.GameSetupDraws.Round, table.GameSetupDraws.PickNo,
+			table.GameSetupDraws.AccountID, table.GameSetupDraws.Letter, table.GameSetupDraws.IsBlank,
+			table.GameSetupDraws.DrawRank,
+		).VALUES(gameID, d.Round, d.PickNo, acc, d.Letter, d.Blank, d.Rank)
+		if _, err := di.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("insert setup draw round %d pick %d: %w", d.Round, d.PickNo, err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // openMatchKey hashes an auto-match bucket (variant + per-turn word rule) into the
 // advisory-lock key that serialises concurrent enqueues for that bucket, so two
 // players never both open a game instead of pairing.
@@ -177,48 +215,42 @@ func openMatchKey(variant string, multipleWords bool) int64 {
 }
 
 // OpenOrJoin atomically resolves an auto-match enqueue for accountID into the game it
-// lands in: it re-uses the caller's own still-open game (joined=false, created=false,
-// a re-enqueue is idempotent), joins another player's waiting open game and flips it
-// active (joined=true), or opens a fresh game seating the caller with an empty
-// opponent seat (created=true). ins supplies the new game's immutable fields and is
-// used only when a game is created. A transaction-scoped advisory lock on the
-// (variant, rule) bucket serialises concurrent enqueues so two callers pair rather
-// than each opening a game. seats is the two-seat arrangement (the caller and uuid.Nil
-// for the still-empty opponent, in the chosen order) used only when a game is created;
-// callerName is the caller's display-name snapshot, stamped on their seat whether they
-// open a fresh game or fill another player's open one.
-func (s *Store) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, callerName string, ins gameInsert, seats []seatInsert) (gameID uuid.UUID, joined, created bool, err error) {
+// lands in: it joins another player's waiting open game and flips it active
+// (joined=true), or opens a fresh game seating the caller with an empty opponent seat
+// (created=true). A re-enqueue while the caller already has an open game in the bucket
+// opens another fresh game (or joins a different player's) rather than returning the
+// caller's own, so tapping "random opponent" again always starts a new search. ins
+// supplies the new game's immutable fields and is used only when a game is created. A
+// transaction-scoped advisory lock on the (variant, rule) bucket serialises concurrent
+// enqueues so two callers pair rather than each opening a game. seats is the two-seat
+// arrangement (the caller and uuid.Nil for the still-empty opponent, in the chosen
+// order) used only when a game is created; callerName is the caller's display-name
+// snapshot, stamped on their seat whether they open a fresh game or fill another
+// player's open one. seats and draws (the first-move draw recorded against the synthetic
+// opponent, docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6) are used only when a game is created.
+func (s *Store) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, callerName string, ins gameInsert, seats []seatInsert, exclude []uuid.UUID, draws []SetupDraw) (gameID uuid.UUID, joined, created bool, err error) {
 	err = withTx(ctx, s.db, func(tx *sql.Tx) error {
 		if _, e := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `SELECT pg_advisory_xact_lock($1)`,
 			openMatchKey(ins.variant, ins.multipleWordsPerTurn)); e != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("open match lock: %w", e)
 		}
-		// 1. The caller's own still-open game for this bucket — a re-enqueue is idempotent.
-		var own uuid.UUID
-		switch e := tx.QueryRowContext(ctx,
-			`SELECT g.game_id FROM backend.games g
-			   JOIN backend.game_players p ON p.game_id = g.game_id
-			  WHERE g.status = 'open' AND g.variant = $1 AND g.multiple_words_per_turn = $2 AND p.account_id = $3
-			  LIMIT 1`,
-			ins.variant, ins.multipleWordsPerTurn, accountID).Scan(&own); {
-		case e == nil:
-			gameID = own
-			return nil
-		case !errors.Is(e, sql.ErrNoRows):
-			return fmt.Errorf("find own open game: %w", e)
-		}
-		// 2. Another player's open game waiting for an opponent — fill its seat and start it.
+		// 1. Another player's open game waiting for an opponent — fill its seat and start it.
+		// A game whose waiting player is in exclude (the caller's per-user block set, either
+		// direction) is skipped, so a block keeps the pair out of the same anonymous game;
+		// an empty exclude (the "{}" literal) excludes nothing.
 		var other uuid.UUID
 		switch e := tx.QueryRowContext(ctx,
 			`SELECT g.game_id FROM backend.games g
 			  WHERE g.status = 'open' AND g.variant = $1 AND g.multiple_words_per_turn = $2
 			    AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM backend.game_players p
 			                     WHERE p.game_id = g.game_id AND p.account_id = $3)
+			    AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM backend.game_players b
+			                     WHERE b.game_id = g.game_id AND b.account_id = ANY($4::uuid[]))
 			  ORDER BY g.created_at
 			  LIMIT 1 FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED`,
-			ins.variant, ins.multipleWordsPerTurn, accountID).Scan(&other); {
+			ins.variant, ins.multipleWordsPerTurn, accountID, uuidArrayLiteral(exclude)).Scan(&other); {
 		case e == nil:
-			if er := fillOpenSeat(ctx, tx, other, accountID, callerName); er != nil {
+			if er := fillAndActivate(ctx, tx, other, accountID, callerName); er != nil {
 				return er
 			}
 			gameID, joined = other, true
@@ -226,10 +258,15 @@ func (s *Store) OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, callerName
 		case !errors.Is(e, sql.ErrNoRows):
 			return fmt.Errorf("find open game: %w", e)
 		}
-		// 3. None waiting — open a fresh game seating the caller (the other seat empty).
+		// 2. None waiting — open a fresh game seating the caller (the other seat empty) and
+		// recording the first-move draw; the synthetic opponent's rows carry a NULL account
+		// until a real opponent joins and back-fills them.
 		if e := insertGameTx(ctx, tx, ins, seats); e != nil {
 			return e
 		}
+		if e := insertSetupDrawsTx(ctx, tx, ins.id, draws); e != nil {
+			return e
+		}
 		gameID, created = ins.id, true
 		return nil
 	})
@@ -254,7 +291,7 @@ func (s *Store) AttachRobot(ctx context.Context, gameID, robotID uuid.UUID, disp
 		if status != StatusOpen {
 			return nil
 		}
-		if e := fillOpenSeat(ctx, tx, gameID, robotID, displayName); e != nil {
+		if e := fillAndActivate(ctx, tx, gameID, robotID, displayName); e != nil {
 			return e
 		}
 		attached = true
@@ -263,15 +300,23 @@ func (s *Store) AttachRobot(ctx context.Context, gameID, robotID uuid.UUID, disp
 	return attached, err
 }
 
-// fillOpenSeat seats accountID in an open game's empty opponent seat — stamping
-// displayName as the seat's display-name snapshot — and flips the game to active with a
-// fresh turn clock. The caller holds the game row.
-func fillOpenSeat(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID, displayName string) error {
+// fillAndActivate seats accountID in an open game's empty opponent seat — stamping
+// displayName as the seat's snapshot — back-fills the first-move draw rows the open game
+// recorded for the then-unknown opponent (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6), and flips the game to
+// active with a fresh turn clock. The seat the joiner takes was already fixed by the draw at
+// open time, so the journal (any opening move the starter made while waiting) is never
+// disturbed. The caller holds the game row.
+func fillAndActivate(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID, displayName string) error {
 	if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx,
 		`UPDATE backend.game_players SET account_id = $2, display_name = $3 WHERE game_id = $1 AND account_id IS NULL`,
 		gameID, accountID, displayName); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("fill opponent seat: %w", err)
 	}
+	if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx,
+		`UPDATE backend.game_setup_draws SET account_id = $2 WHERE game_id = $1 AND account_id IS NULL`,
+		gameID, accountID); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("back-fill opponent draws: %w", err)
+	}
 	if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx,
 		`UPDATE backend.games SET status = 'active', open_deadline_at = NULL, turn_started_at = now(), updated_at = now()
 		  WHERE game_id = $1`, gameID); err != nil {
@@ -310,27 +355,33 @@ func (s *Store) ExpiredOpen(ctx context.Context, now time.Time) ([]OpenGame, err
 // GetGame loads the games row joined with its seats (ordered by seat), or
 // ErrNotFound.
 func (s *Store) GetGame(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (Game, error) {
-	gstmt := postgres.SELECT(table.Games.AllColumns).
-		FROM(table.Games).
+	// One round-trip: the game joined with its seats. A LEFT JOIN keeps a (would-be)
+	// seatless game returning the game with no seats, exactly as the prior two-query
+	// version did; ORDER BY seat preserves seat order. The games columns repeat per seat
+	// row — cheap at 2-4 seats, and one round-trip instead of two, which matters because
+	// GetGame is the universal "load the game" step on every game operation.
+	stmt := postgres.SELECT(table.Games.AllColumns, table.GamePlayers.AllColumns).
+		FROM(table.Games.LEFT_JOIN(table.GamePlayers, table.GamePlayers.GameID.EQ(table.Games.GameID))).
 		WHERE(table.Games.GameID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id))).
-		LIMIT(1)
-	var grow model.Games
-	if err := gstmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &grow); err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, qrm.ErrNoRows) {
-			return Game{}, ErrNotFound
-		}
+		ORDER_BY(table.GamePlayers.Seat.ASC())
+	var rows []struct {
+		model.Games
+		model.GamePlayers
+	}
+	if err := stmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &rows); err != nil {
 		return Game{}, fmt.Errorf("game: get %s: %w", id, err)
 	}
-
-	sstmt := postgres.SELECT(table.GamePlayers.AllColumns).
-		FROM(table.GamePlayers).
-		WHERE(table.GamePlayers.GameID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id))).
-		ORDER_BY(table.GamePlayers.Seat.ASC())
-	var srows []model.GamePlayers
-	if err := sstmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &srows); err != nil {
-		return Game{}, fmt.Errorf("game: get seats %s: %w", id, err)
+	if len(rows) == 0 {
+		return Game{}, ErrNotFound
 	}
-	return projectGame(grow, srows)
+	seats := make([]model.GamePlayers, 0, len(rows))
+	for i := range rows {
+		// Skip the phantom all-NULL seat row a LEFT JOIN yields for a seatless game.
+		if rows[i].GamePlayers.GameID == id {
+			seats = append(seats, rows[i].GamePlayers)
+		}
+	}
+	return projectGame(rows[0].Games, seats)
 }
 
 // GetGameVariant reads just a game's variant — a cheap single-column lookup the edge uses
@@ -450,6 +501,28 @@ func (s *Store) ListGamesForAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) ([
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+// CountActiveQuickGames counts the account's in-progress quick games — the ones the
+// simultaneous-game limit (MaxActiveQuickGames) is checked against. It includes both
+// active and still-open (awaiting-opponent) games, the honest-AI ones among them, and
+// excludes friend games (those linked to a game_invitations row) and finished games.
+// A hidden game still occupies a slot, so this is a dedicated count rather than a
+// filter over ListGamesForAccount (which drops hidden games). Joining on the account's
+// own seat counts each game once (an open game's empty opponent seat has no account).
+func (s *Store) CountActiveQuickGames(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) (int, error) {
+	// The status literals are game.StatusActive / game.StatusOpen, matching the
+	// games.status CHECK in the baseline migration.
+	const q = `
+SELECT COUNT(*) FROM backend.games g
+JOIN backend.game_players gp ON gp.game_id = g.game_id
+LEFT JOIN backend.game_invitations gi ON gi.game_id = g.game_id
+WHERE gp.account_id = $1 AND g.status IN ('active', 'open') AND gi.game_id IS NULL`
+	var n int
+	if err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx, q, accountID).Scan(&n); err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("game: count active quick games: %w", err)
+	}
+	return n, nil
+}
+
 // HideGame hides a game from the account's own lobby list (idempotent). The caller validates the
 // game is finished and the account is a player.
 func (s *Store) HideGame(ctx context.Context, accountID, gameID uuid.UUID) error {
@@ -561,6 +634,37 @@ func (s *Store) GetJournal(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) ([]HistoryMove, er
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+// SetupDraws loads the ordered first-move seeding draws for a game (round then pick
+// order), or an empty slice for a game created before the draw was recorded. It
+// backs the admin console's first-move section.
+func (s *Store) SetupDraws(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) ([]SetupDraw, error) {
+	stmt := postgres.SELECT(table.GameSetupDraws.AllColumns).
+		FROM(table.GameSetupDraws).
+		WHERE(table.GameSetupDraws.GameID.EQ(postgres.UUID(id))).
+		ORDER_BY(table.GameSetupDraws.Round.ASC(), table.GameSetupDraws.PickNo.ASC())
+	var rows []model.GameSetupDraws
+	if err := stmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &rows); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("game: get setup draws %s: %w", id, err)
+	}
+	out := make([]SetupDraw, len(rows))
+	for i, r := range rows {
+		// A NULL account is the synthetic opponent of an auto-match draw not yet back-filled.
+		acc := uuid.Nil
+		if r.AccountID != nil {
+			acc = *r.AccountID
+		}
+		out[i] = SetupDraw{
+			Round:   int(r.Round),
+			PickNo:  int(r.PickNo),
+			Account: acc,
+			Letter:  r.Letter,
+			Blank:   r.IsBlank,
+			Rank:    int(r.DrawRank),
+		}
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
 // CommitMove appends the move and applies the post-move game state — the turn
 // cursor and per-seat scores, plus the finish stamp and statistics when the move
 // ended the game — in one transaction.
@@ -611,6 +715,9 @@ func (s *Store) CommitMove(ctx context.Context, c commit) error {
 				if err := upsertStats(ctx, tx, d, c.now); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
+				if err := upsertBestMove(ctx, tx, d, c.now); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -640,6 +747,9 @@ func (s *Store) VoidGame(ctx context.Context, v voidCommit) error {
 			if err := upsertStats(ctx, tx, d, v.now); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if err := upsertBestMove(ctx, tx, d, v.now); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
@@ -692,13 +802,17 @@ func upsertStats(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, d statDelta, now time.Time) er
 	draws := row.Draws + int32(d.draws)
 	maxGame := max(row.MaxGamePoints, int32(d.gamePoints))
 	maxWord := max(row.MaxWordPoints, int32(d.wordPoints))
+	moves := row.Moves + int32(d.moves)
+	hintsUsed := row.HintsUsed + int32(d.hintsUsed)
 
 	upd := table.AccountStats.UPDATE(
 		table.AccountStats.Wins, table.AccountStats.Losses, table.AccountStats.Draws,
 		table.AccountStats.MaxGamePoints, table.AccountStats.MaxWordPoints, table.AccountStats.UpdatedAt,
+		table.AccountStats.Moves, table.AccountStats.HintsUsed,
 	).SET(
 		postgres.Int(int64(wins)), postgres.Int(int64(losses)), postgres.Int(int64(draws)),
 		postgres.Int(int64(maxGame)), postgres.Int(int64(maxWord)), postgres.TimestampzT(now),
+		postgres.Int(int64(moves)), postgres.Int(int64(hintsUsed)),
 	).WHERE(table.AccountStats.AccountID.EQ(postgres.UUID(d.accountID)))
 	if _, err := upd.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("update stats %s: %w", d.accountID, err)
@@ -706,8 +820,41 @@ func upsertStats(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, d statDelta, now time.Time) er
 	return nil
 }
 
-// SpendHintAllowance increments a seat's per-game hint counter by one.
-func (s *Store) SpendHintAllowance(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID, seat int) error {
+// upsertBestMove records the account's best play for a variant, keeping only the
+// highest-scoring one: a first play inserts, a later one replaces it only when it scored
+// strictly higher (the conditional DO UPDATE makes the upsert atomic under concurrent
+// finishes without a separate lock). It is a no-op when the finish carries no scoring play
+// for the account (a draw with no plays, or an exchange/pass-only game).
+func upsertBestMove(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, d statDelta, now time.Time) error {
+	if d.bestVariant == "" || len(d.bestTiles) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	tiles, err := json.Marshal(d.bestTiles)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("marshal best move %s/%s: %w", d.accountID, d.bestVariant, err)
+	}
+	stmt := table.AccountBestMove.
+		INSERT(
+			table.AccountBestMove.AccountID, table.AccountBestMove.Variant,
+			table.AccountBestMove.Score, table.AccountBestMove.Tiles, table.AccountBestMove.UpdatedAt,
+		).
+		VALUES(d.accountID, d.bestVariant, d.bestScore, string(tiles), postgres.TimestampzT(now)).
+		ON_CONFLICT(table.AccountBestMove.AccountID, table.AccountBestMove.Variant).
+		DO_UPDATE(postgres.SET(
+			table.AccountBestMove.Score.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Score),
+			table.AccountBestMove.Tiles.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Tiles),
+			table.AccountBestMove.UpdatedAt.SET(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.UpdatedAt),
+		).WHERE(table.AccountBestMove.EXCLUDED.Score.GT(table.AccountBestMove.Score)))
+	if _, err := stmt.ExecContext(ctx, tx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("upsert best move %s/%s: %w", d.accountID, d.bestVariant, err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// IncHintsUsed increments a seat's per-game hints-used counter by one. It is called for
+// every hint — both the free per-game allowance and the wallet-charged ones — so the counter
+// is the seat's total hints used this game (the first HintsPerPlayer being the allowance).
+func (s *Store) IncHintsUsed(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID, seat int) error {
 	stmt := table.GamePlayers.
 		UPDATE(table.GamePlayers.HintsUsed).
 		SET(table.GamePlayers.HintsUsed.ADD(postgres.Int(1))).
@@ -716,7 +863,7 @@ func (s *Store) SpendHintAllowance(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID, seat i
 				AND(table.GamePlayers.Seat.EQ(postgres.Int(int64(seat)))),
 		)
 	if _, err := stmt.ExecContext(ctx, s.db); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("game: spend hint allowance: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("game: increment hints used: %w", err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -951,13 +1098,18 @@ func (s *Store) RobotTurns(ctx context.Context, ids []uuid.UUID) ([]RobotTurn, e
 	for _, r := range rows {
 		out = append(out, robotTurnFrom(r.Games, r.GamePlayers))
 	}
+	if err := s.fillEndgamePass(ctx, out); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	return out, nil
 }
 
 // RobotTurnByGame returns the robot turn for a single active game — the seat held by
 // one of ids (the robot pool) — and true, or false when the game is not active, holds
 // no pooled robot, or is gone. It backs the honest-AI after-commit trigger, which
-// drives one game at once rather than scanning the whole pool (RobotTurns).
+// drives one game at once rather than scanning the whole pool (RobotTurns). It leaves
+// EndgamePass false: honest-AI games move at once, so the endgame think-time shrink is a
+// human-mimicry concern computed only on the RobotTurns scan.
 func (s *Store) RobotTurnByGame(ctx context.Context, gameID uuid.UUID, ids []uuid.UUID) (RobotTurn, bool, error) {
 	if len(ids) == 0 {
 		return RobotTurn{}, false, nil
@@ -1010,6 +1162,79 @@ func robotTurnFrom(g model.Games, p model.GamePlayers) RobotTurn {
 	}
 }
 
+// fillEndgamePass marks the turns whose game is a dead-drawn endgame — its two most
+// recent committed moves are both passes, so the board and racks are frozen and the
+// seated robot is bound to pass again — setting EndgamePass and OppLastMove from the
+// move journal so the driver can shorten the robot's think time. Turns whose game is
+// not in that state are left unchanged. A nil or empty slice is a no-op. It runs one
+// batched journal query for the whole scan, so it adds no per-game round trip.
+func (s *Store) fillEndgamePass(ctx context.Context, turns []RobotTurn) error {
+	if len(turns) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	ids := make([]uuid.UUID, len(turns))
+	for i := range turns {
+		ids[i] = turns[i].GameID
+	}
+	info, err := s.endgamePassInfo(ctx, ids)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for i := range turns {
+		if d, ok := info[turns[i].GameID]; ok {
+			turns[i].EndgamePass = true
+			turns[i].OppLastMove = d
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// endgamePassInfo returns, for each of ids whose two most recent committed moves are
+// both passes, the human's think time on the most recent of them (the gap between the
+// last two journal entries' created_at). Games with fewer than two moves, or whose last
+// two are not both passes, are absent from the map. It reads the move journal only — no
+// schema change — mirroring the analytics.go duration reports. A negative gap (clock
+// skew) is floored to zero.
+func (s *Store) endgamePassInfo(ctx context.Context, ids []uuid.UUID) (map[uuid.UUID]time.Duration, error) {
+	if len(ids) == 0 {
+		return map[uuid.UUID]time.Duration{}, nil
+	}
+	const q = `
+SELECT q.game_id, q.secs FROM (
+  SELECT t.game_id,
+         bool_and(t.action = 'pass') AS both_pass,
+         COUNT(*) AS n,
+         EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (MAX(t.created_at) - MIN(t.created_at))) AS secs
+  FROM (
+    SELECT m.game_id, m.action, m.created_at,
+           ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY m.game_id ORDER BY m.seq DESC) AS rn
+    FROM backend.game_moves m
+    WHERE m.game_id = ANY($1::uuid[])
+  ) t
+  WHERE t.rn <= 2
+  GROUP BY t.game_id
+) q
+WHERE q.n = 2 AND q.both_pass`
+	rows, err := s.db.QueryContext(ctx, q, uuidArrayLiteral(ids))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("game: endgame pass info: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	out := make(map[uuid.UUID]time.Duration, len(ids))
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var id uuid.UUID
+		var secs float64
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id, &secs); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("game: scan endgame pass info: %w", err)
+		}
+		if secs < 0 {
+			secs = 0
+		}
+		out[id] = time.Duration(secs * float64(time.Second))
+	}
+	return out, rows.Err()
+}
+
 // GameVsAI reports whether a game is an honest-AI game (games.vs_ai) — a cheap
 // single-column read for the social chat/nudge gate, which must reject both in an
 // AI game even though it reports status 'active'. ErrNotFound when the game is gone.

backend/internal/game/types.go

@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ var (
 	ErrNoHintsLeft = errors.New("game: no hints remaining")
 	// ErrNoHintAvailable is returned when the player has no legal play to reveal.
 	ErrNoHintAvailable = errors.New("game: no legal move to suggest")
+	// ErrGameLimitReached is returned when an account already holds MaxActiveQuickGames
+	// simultaneous quick games and tries to create another game (quick or by invitation).
+	ErrGameLimitReached = errors.New("game: simultaneous game limit reached")
 )
 
 // AllowedTurnTimeouts is the set of per-game move clocks a game may be created
@@ -87,6 +90,15 @@ const DefaultTurnTimeout = 24 * time.Hour
 // one of AllowedTurnTimeouts (never offered in the creation UI).
 const AIInactivityTimeout = 7 * 24 * time.Hour
 
+// MaxActiveQuickGames is the cap on a player's simultaneous quick games (human
+// auto-match and honest-AI), counting both in-progress (StatusActive) and
+// still-open, awaiting-opponent (StatusOpen) games. Friend games created by
+// invitation are not counted. At the cap the backend refuses to create a new game
+// of any kind — quick or by invitation — and the lobby disables "New Game";
+// accepting an incoming invitation is always allowed. See
+// Store.CountActiveQuickGames.
+const MaxActiveQuickGames = 10
+
 // aiPlayerName labels the robot seat in an honest-AI game's GCG export, so a downloaded
 // game file shows a clean "AI" rather than the robot's human-like pool name (the in-app
 // UI shows 🤖 from the game's vs_ai flag).
@@ -142,6 +154,8 @@ type Seat struct {
 	Seat      int
 	AccountID uuid.UUID
 	Score     int
+	// HintsUsed is the total hints the seat used this game — both the free per-game allowance
+	// and the wallet-charged ones (the first HintsPerPlayer being the allowance).
 	HintsUsed int
 	IsWinner  bool
 	// DisplayName is the seat's display-name snapshot, captured when the seat was taken
@@ -170,6 +184,18 @@ func (g Game) seatOf(accountID uuid.UUID) (int, bool) {
 	return 0, false
 }
 
+// seatedIn reports whether accountID holds a seat in seats. It backs the read-side
+// membership check against the cached, immutable seat list, so a hot read can skip
+// loading the game from the store.
+func seatedIn(seats []Seat, accountID uuid.UUID) bool {
+	for _, s := range seats {
+		if s.AccountID == accountID {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // MoveResult is the outcome of a committed transition: the decoded move and the
 // post-move game, plus the actor's own refilled rack and the bag size after the draw
 // (Rack/BagLen), so the mover renders the next state from the response without a
@@ -182,10 +208,13 @@ type MoveResult struct {
 }
 
 // HintResult is a revealed hint and the requesting player's remaining hint
-// budget (per-seat allowance plus profile wallet) after spending one.
+// budget (per-seat allowance plus profile wallet) after spending one. WalletBalance is
+// the global wallet alone, so the client can keep its live wallet authoritative and
+// re-derive the per-game allowance (HintsRemaining - WalletBalance).
 type HintResult struct {
 	Move           engine.MoveRecord
 	HintsRemaining int
+	WalletBalance  int
 }
 
 // EvalResult previews a tentative play without committing it. Dir is the
@@ -208,6 +237,9 @@ type StateView struct {
 	Rack           []string
 	BagLen         int
 	HintsRemaining int
+	// WalletBalance is the player's global hint-wallet balance alone (HintsRemaining folds
+	// it in with the per-game allowance), so the client keeps the wallet live across games.
+	WalletBalance int
 }
 
 // HistoryMove is one decoded journal row, independent of any dictionary.
@@ -248,6 +280,15 @@ type RobotTurn struct {
 	// VsAI is true when the game is an honest-AI game: the driver then makes the
 	// robot move immediately, with no sleep window and no proactive nudge.
 	VsAI bool
+	// EndgamePass is true when the two most recent committed moves are both passes, so
+	// the board and racks are frozen and the robot is bound to pass again. The driver
+	// then shortens the robot's think time (see robot.endgamePassDelay) so a decided
+	// game is not dragged out. It is false until at least two moves exist.
+	EndgamePass bool
+	// OppLastMove is the human's think time on the most recent move — the gap between
+	// the last two journal entries — used to scale the shortened endgame think time. It
+	// is meaningful only when EndgamePass is true (zero otherwise).
+	OppLastMove time.Duration
 }
 
 // Complaint is a word-check complaint in the admin review queue. It is filed

backend/internal/inttest/account_test.go

@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ func TestGetStatsZeroForFreshAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("get stats: %v", err)
 	}
-	if (st != account.Stats{}) {
+	zero := st.Wins == 0 && st.Losses == 0 && st.Draws == 0 && st.MaxGamePoints == 0 && st.MaxWordPoints == 0
+	if !zero || len(st.BestMoves) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("fresh stats = %+v, want zero", st)
 	}
 }
@@ -117,10 +118,13 @@ func TestProvisionTelegramSeedsNewAccountOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
 	ext := "tg-" + uuid.NewString()
 
-	acc, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "ru-RU", "thehandle", "Иван")
+	acc, created, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "ru-RU", "thehandle", "Иван")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
+	if !created {
+		t.Error("created = false on first contact, want true")
+	}
 	if acc.PreferredLanguage != "ru" {
 		t.Errorf("PreferredLanguage = %q, want ru", acc.PreferredLanguage)
 	}
@@ -132,10 +136,13 @@ func TestProvisionTelegramSeedsNewAccountOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// A later login with different fields returns the same account, unchanged.
-	again, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "en", "other", "Other")
+	again, created, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "en", "other", "Other")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("re-provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
+	if created {
+		t.Error("created = true on a repeat login, want false")
+	}
 	if again.ID != acc.ID {
 		t.Errorf("re-provision id = %s, want %s", again.ID, acc.ID)
 	}
@@ -149,7 +156,7 @@ func TestProvisionTelegramSeedsNewAccountOnly(t *testing.T) {
 // language CHECK.
 func TestProvisionTelegramUnknownLanguageDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "fr", "", "")
+	acc, _, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "fr", "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -158,46 +165,6 @@ func TestProvisionTelegramUnknownLanguageDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestServiceLanguageRoundTrip checks SetServiceLanguage persists the push-routing
-// language (the bot a Telegram user last signed in through): a fresh account has
-// none, a set value reads back, a later login overwrites it (last-login-wins), and
-// an empty value is a no-op. The push-target route coalesces it with the preferred
-// language.
-func TestServiceLanguageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
-	acc, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Player")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
-	}
-	if acc.ServiceLanguage != "" {
-		t.Errorf("fresh ServiceLanguage = %q, want empty", acc.ServiceLanguage)
-	}
-
-	if err := store.SetServiceLanguage(ctx, acc.ID, "ru"); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("set service language: %v", err)
-	}
-	if got, err := store.GetByID(ctx, acc.ID); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("get by id: %v", err)
-	} else if got.ServiceLanguage != "ru" {
-		t.Errorf("ServiceLanguage = %q, want ru", got.ServiceLanguage)
-	}
-
-	// A later login through the other bot updates it; a subsequent empty value
-	// (a non-Telegram login) leaves it unchanged.
-	if err := store.SetServiceLanguage(ctx, acc.ID, "en"); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("update service language: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := store.SetServiceLanguage(ctx, acc.ID, ""); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("noop service language: %v", err)
-	}
-	if got, err := store.GetByID(ctx, acc.ID); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("get by id: %v", err)
-	} else if got.ServiceLanguage != "en" {
-		t.Errorf("ServiceLanguage after update+noop = %q, want en", got.ServiceLanguage)
-	}
-}
-
 // TestHighRateFlagRoundTrip covers the soft high-rate marker: a fresh account
 // is unflagged, FlagHighRate stamps it exactly once (a second sustained episode
 // never moves the timestamp), ClearHighRateFlag reverses it, and a re-flag after
@@ -205,7 +172,7 @@ func TestServiceLanguageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 func TestHighRateFlagRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
-	acc, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Player")
+	acc, _, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Player")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -261,7 +228,7 @@ func TestIdentityExternalID(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
 	ext := "tg-" + uuid.NewString()
-	acc, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "en", "", "Tg User")
+	acc, _, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "en", "", "Tg User")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -286,7 +253,7 @@ func TestIdentityExternalID(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNotificationsInAppOnlyRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
-	acc, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Player")
+	acc, _, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Player")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision telegram: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -298,6 +265,7 @@ func TestNotificationsInAppOnlyRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 		PreferredLanguage:      "en",
 		TimeZone:               "UTC",
 		NotificationsInAppOnly: false,
+		VariantPreferences:     []string{"erudit_ru"},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("update profile: %v", err)

backend/internal/inttest/admin_test.go

@@ -206,6 +206,12 @@ func TestConsoleGameDetailRobotSchedule(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.Contains(body, "~40%") {
 		t.Error("robot play-to-win target caption missing")
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(body, "First-move draw") {
+		t.Error("first-move draw section missing from the game detail")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(body, `id="replay-board"`) {
+		t.Error("replay board container missing from the game detail")
+	}
 }
 
 // TestConsoleThrottledViewAndFlagClear drives the rate-limit surface end to
@@ -216,7 +222,7 @@ func TestConsoleGameDetailRobotSchedule(t *testing.T) {
 func TestConsoleThrottledViewAndFlagClear(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	accounts := account.NewStore(testDB)
-	acc, err := accounts.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Throttled Player")
+	acc, _, err := accounts.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Throttled Player")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/banner_console_test.go

@@ -256,7 +256,8 @@ func TestBannerSurvivesProfileUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	id := provisionAccount(t)
 
 	body := `{"display_name":"Tester","preferred_language":"ru","time_zone":"UTC","away_start":"00:00",` +
-		`"away_end":"00:00","block_chat":false,"block_friend_requests":false,"notifications_in_app_only":true}`
+		`"away_end":"00:00","block_chat":false,"block_friend_requests":false,"notifications_in_app_only":true,` +
+		`"variant_preferences":["erudit_ru"]}`
 	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPut, "/api/v1/user/profile", strings.NewReader(body))
 	req.Header.Set("X-User-ID", id.String())

backend/internal/inttest/block_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,322 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/notify"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/social"
+)
+
+// TestBlockInstantReadsExistingUnread checks that blocking marks read any chat the blocked
+// user had left unread for the blocker in their shared games, so no stale unread badge
+// lingers for someone the blocker no longer sees.
+func TestBlockInstantReadsExistingUnread(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	sender, viewer := seats[0], seats[1] // seat 0 moves first, so it may chat
+
+	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, sender, "good luck", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post: %v", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, viewer); !unread {
+		t.Fatal("viewer should have the message unread before blocking")
+	}
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, viewer, sender); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, viewer); unread {
+		t.Error("blocking should instant-read the blocked sender's prior unread message")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestChatFromBlockedIsBornReadAndNotDelivered checks the store-but-hide path for chat: a
+// message the blocked user sends is stored and visible to themselves, but is born read for
+// the blocker, never delivered to them, and hidden from their view.
+func TestChatFromBlockedIsBornReadAndNotDelivered(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	pub := &capturePublisher{}
+	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	blocked, blocker := seats[0], seats[1] // seat 0 moves first, so the blocked user may chat
+
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, blocked, "hello there", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("blocked user's post = %v, want nil (it must look ordinary to them)", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, blocker); unread {
+		t.Error("the blocked sender's message must be born read for the blocker")
+	}
+	if pub.delivered(blocker, notify.KindChatMessage) {
+		t.Error("the blocked sender's message must not be delivered to the blocker")
+	}
+	if msgs, _ := svc.Messages(ctx, gameID, blocker); len(msgs) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("blocker still sees the blocked sender's message: %+v", msgs)
+	}
+	if msgs, _ := svc.Messages(ctx, gameID, blocked); len(msgs) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("the blocked sender should see their own message, got %+v", msgs)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestChatToBlockedIsRejected checks the blocker-side guard: a player cannot post when their
+// only opponent is someone they have blocked (the composer is hidden client-side too).
+func TestChatToBlockedIsRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	blocker, blocked := seats[0], seats[1] // blocker moves first, so it is the one trying to chat
+
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, blocker, "hi", ""); !errors.Is(err, social.ErrRecipientBlocked) {
+		t.Fatalf("chat to blocked opponent = %v, want ErrRecipientBlocked", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNudgeFromBlockedIsBornReadAndNotDelivered checks the store-but-hide path for nudge: a
+// nudge the blocked user sends is recorded (so their once-per-hour cooldown applies, looking
+// ordinary to them) but is born read and never delivered to the blocker.
+func TestNudgeFromBlockedIsBornReadAndNotDelivered(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	pub := &capturePublisher{}
+	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	blocker, blocked := seats[0], seats[1] // seat 0 awaited; the blocked seat-1 player nudges it
+
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.Nudge(ctx, gameID, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("blocked user's nudge = %v, want nil (it must look ordinary to them)", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, blocker); unread {
+		t.Error("the blocked sender's nudge must be born read for the blocker")
+	}
+	if pub.delivered(blocker, notify.KindNudge) {
+		t.Error("the blocked sender's nudge must not be delivered to the blocker")
+	}
+	// The nudge is still recorded, so the cooldown applies (the blocked user notices nothing).
+	if _, ok, _ := svc.LastNudgeAt(ctx, gameID, blocked); !ok {
+		t.Error("the suppressed nudge should still be recorded")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNudgeToBlockedIsRejected checks the blocker-side guard: a player cannot nudge the
+// awaited opponent when they have blocked them.
+func TestNudgeToBlockedIsRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	blocked, blocker := seats[0], seats[1] // seat 0 awaited; the blocker (seat 1) tries to nudge it
+
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.Nudge(ctx, gameID, blocker); !errors.Is(err, social.ErrRecipientBlocked) {
+		t.Fatalf("nudge to blocked opponent = %v, want ErrRecipientBlocked", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestBlockPublishesToBlockerOnly checks that block and unblock confirm to the blocker (so
+// their other sessions update in place) and never reach the blocked user.
+func TestBlockPublishesToBlockerOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	pub := &capturePublisher{}
+	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
+	blocker, blocked := provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)
+
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !pub.notified(blocker, notify.NotifyUserBlocked) {
+		t.Error("the blocker should receive a user_blocked event")
+	}
+	if pub.notified(blocked, notify.NotifyUserBlocked) {
+		t.Error("the blocked user must never receive a user_blocked event")
+	}
+	if err := svc.Unblock(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unblock: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !pub.notified(blocker, notify.NotifyUserUnblocked) {
+		t.Error("the blocker should receive a user_unblocked event")
+	}
+	if pub.notified(blocked, notify.NotifyUserUnblocked) {
+		t.Error("the blocked user must never receive a user_unblocked event")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestMatchmakingExcludesBlockedPlayers checks auto-match never pairs two players with a
+// block between them (either direction), while an unblocked third player still joins.
+func TestMatchmakingExcludesBlockedPlayers(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	clearOpenGames(t)
+	mm := newMatchmaker(t, newRobotService(t, newGameService()), 90*time.Second, 90*time.Second)
+	soc := newSocialService()
+	mm.SetBlocker(soc)
+	a, b, c := provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)
+
+	if err := soc.Block(ctx, a, b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	// The block is seen from both sides — the exclusion set unions both directions.
+	if !contains(blockedWith(t, soc, a), b) || !contains(blockedWith(t, soc, b), a) {
+		t.Fatal("a block must appear in BlockedWith for both the blocker and the blocked")
+	}
+
+	// b opens a game awaiting an opponent.
+	r1, err := mm.Enqueue(ctx, b, engine.VariantEnglish, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue b: %v", err)
+	}
+	if r1.Matched {
+		t.Fatal("first enqueue must open a game, not match")
+	}
+	// a must not join b's game (a blocked b): it opens its own instead.
+	r2, err := mm.Enqueue(ctx, a, engine.VariantEnglish, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue a: %v", err)
+	}
+	if r2.Matched || r2.Game.ID == r1.Game.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("a joined the blocked player's game %s (matched %v), want a fresh game", r1.Game.ID, r2.Matched)
+	}
+	// A third, unblocked player joins b's still-open game (the oldest), proving the exclusion
+	// is specific to the blocked pair, not a blanket refusal.
+	r3, err := mm.Enqueue(ctx, c, engine.VariantEnglish, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue c: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !r3.Matched || r3.Game.ID != r1.Game.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("unblocked c = (game %s, matched %v), want it to join b's open game %s", r3.Game.ID, r3.Matched, r1.Game.ID)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAdminSocialLists checks the admin user card's blocks / blocked-by / friends queries
+// return the full truth in both directions, including a friendship that a block overrides but
+// does not delete.
+func TestAdminSocialLists(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	_, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	a, b := seats[0], seats[1]
+	if err := svc.SendFriendRequest(ctx, a, b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("request: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := svc.RespondFriendRequest(ctx, b, a, true); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("accept: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, a, b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	blocks, err := svc.AdminBlocksBy(ctx, a)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("admin blocks by: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(blocks) != 1 || blocks[0].AccountID != b || blocks[0].At.IsZero() {
+		t.Errorf("a's blocks = %v, want [b] with a date", blocks)
+	}
+	blockedBy, err := svc.AdminBlockedBy(ctx, b)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("admin blocked by: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(blockedBy) != 1 || blockedBy[0].AccountID != a {
+		t.Errorf("b's blocked-by = %v, want [a]", blockedBy)
+	}
+	// The friendship survives the block, so it still shows on both admin friend lists.
+	friendsA, err := svc.AdminFriends(ctx, a)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("admin friends: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(friendsA) != 1 || friendsA[0].AccountID != b || friendsA[0].At.IsZero() {
+		t.Errorf("a's admin friends = %v, want [b] with a date", friendsA)
+	}
+	if friendsB, err := svc.AdminFriends(ctx, b); err != nil || len(friendsB) != 1 || friendsB[0].AccountID != a {
+		t.Errorf("b's admin friends = %v (err %v), want [a]", friendsB, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRobotBlockIsPerGameAndMatchmakerImmune checks that blocking a disguised-robot opponent
+// is recorded per-game in robot_blocks — never in the blocks table or against the shared robot
+// account — so the matchmaker keeps the robot free, and that unblocking by the row id removes it.
+func TestRobotBlockIsPerGameAndMatchmakerImmune(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	accs := account.NewStore(testDB)
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	robot, err := accs.ProvisionRobot(ctx, "robot-block-"+uuid.NewString(), "Robbie")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	g, err := newGameService().Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+		Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{human, robot.ID},
+		TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: openingSeed(t),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create game: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := svc.BlockInGame(ctx, human, robot.ID, g.ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	rbs, err := svc.ListRobotBlocks(ctx, human)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list robot blocks: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(rbs) != 1 || rbs[0].GameID != g.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("robot blocks = %v, want one for game %s", rbs, g.ID)
+	}
+	if bl, _ := svc.ListBlocks(ctx, human); len(bl) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("blocks table must stay empty for a robot block, got %v", bl)
+	}
+	if yes, _ := svc.IsBlocked(ctx, human, robot.ID); yes {
+		t.Error("the shared robot account must never be blocked")
+	}
+	// Matchmaking immunity: the robot is never in the caller's exclusion set, so the matchmaker
+	// keeps giving robots and the player can never be starved by blocking them.
+	if with, _ := svc.BlockedWith(ctx, human); contains(with, robot.ID) {
+		t.Error("a robot block must not put the robot in BlockedWith")
+	}
+	// Unblock by the robot_blocks row id removes it.
+	if err := svc.Unblock(ctx, human, rbs[0].ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unblock robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	if rbs, _ := svc.ListRobotBlocks(ctx, human); len(rbs) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("robot block not removed by unblock: %v", rbs)
+	}
+}
+
+// blockedWith reads the both-direction block set for id.
+func blockedWith(t *testing.T, soc *social.Service, id uuid.UUID) []uuid.UUID {
+	t.Helper()
+	ids, err := soc.BlockedWith(context.Background(), id)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("blocked with: %v", err)
+	}
+	return ids
+}
+
+// contains reports whether ids includes want.
+func contains(ids []uuid.UUID, want uuid.UUID) bool {
+	for _, id := range ids {
+		if id == want {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}

backend/internal/inttest/chat_access_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,315 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/notify"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/server"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/session"
+)
+
+// chatAccessBody mirrors the backend's /internal/chat-access JSON for the test.
+type chatAccessBody struct {
+	ExternalID string `json:"external_id"`
+	Registered bool   `json:"registered"`
+	Eligible   bool   `json:"eligible"`
+}
+
+// chatAccess issues the gateway-internal chat-access query and asserts a 200.
+func chatAccess(t *testing.T, srv *server.Server, body string) chatAccessBody {
+	t.Helper()
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/chat-access", strings.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	srv.Handler().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("chat-access %s = %d: %s", body, rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	var b chatAccessBody
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode chat-access: %v", err)
+	}
+	return b
+}
+
+// TestChatAccessResolver drives the gateway-internal eligibility resolver over HTTP:
+// the registered/suspended/chat_muted truth table by Telegram identity and by account
+// id, the suspension dominating the chat_muted role, an unknown identity reported
+// unregistered, and an account with no Telegram identity carrying an empty external_id.
+func TestChatAccessResolver(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	accounts := account.NewStore(testDB)
+	srv := server.New(":0", server.Deps{Logger: zaptest.NewLogger(t), DB: testDB, Accounts: accounts})
+
+	ext := "tg-" + uuid.NewString()
+	acc, _, err := accounts.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, ext, "en", "", "Chatter")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision: %v", err)
+	}
+	id := acc.ID
+
+	byExt := func() chatAccessBody { return chatAccess(t, srv, `{"external_id":"`+ext+`"}`) }
+	byUser := func() chatAccessBody { return chatAccess(t, srv, `{"user_id":"`+id.String()+`"}`) }
+
+	// A registered, unsuspended, unmuted account is eligible by either address, and the
+	// account-id query resolves back to its Telegram identity.
+	if b := byExt(); !b.Registered || !b.Eligible || b.ExternalID != ext {
+		t.Fatalf("fresh by external_id = %+v, want registered+eligible+ext", b)
+	}
+	if b := byUser(); !b.Registered || !b.Eligible || b.ExternalID != ext {
+		t.Fatalf("fresh by user_id = %+v, want registered+eligible+ext", b)
+	}
+
+	// A suspension mutes; a lift restores.
+	if _, err := accounts.Suspend(ctx, id, nil, "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suspend: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); !b.Registered || b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("suspended = %+v, want registered but not eligible", b)
+	}
+	if err := accounts.LiftSuspension(ctx, id); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lift: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); !b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("after lift = %+v, want eligible", b)
+	}
+
+	// The chat_muted role mutes independently; a revoke restores.
+	if err := accounts.GrantRole(ctx, id, account.RoleChatMuted); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("grant chat_muted: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); !b.Registered || b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("chat_muted = %+v, want registered but not eligible", b)
+	}
+
+	// Suspension dominates: while chat_muted is set, lifting a concurrent suspension
+	// must not re-grant chat (the role still mutes).
+	if _, err := accounts.Suspend(ctx, id, nil, "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suspend over mute: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("suspended+muted = %+v, want not eligible", b)
+	}
+	if err := accounts.LiftSuspension(ctx, id); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lift over mute: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("lifted but still muted = %+v, want not eligible", b)
+	}
+	if err := accounts.RevokeRole(ctx, id, account.RoleChatMuted); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("revoke chat_muted: %v", err)
+	}
+	if b := byExt(); !b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("after revoke = %+v, want eligible", b)
+	}
+
+	// An unknown Telegram identity is unregistered (and thus left muted).
+	if b := chatAccess(t, srv, `{"external_id":"tg-missing-`+uuid.NewString()+`"}`); b.Registered || b.Eligible {
+		t.Fatalf("unknown identity = %+v, want neither registered nor eligible", b)
+	}
+
+	// An account with no Telegram identity (a guest) carries an empty external_id, so
+	// the gateway has nothing to gate.
+	guest := provisionGuest(t)
+	if b := chatAccess(t, srv, `{"user_id":"`+guest.String()+`"}`); b.ExternalID != "" || b.Registered {
+		t.Fatalf("guest by user_id = %+v, want empty external_id and not registered", b)
+	}
+
+	// A request naming neither address is a bad request.
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/chat-access", strings.NewReader(`{}`))
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	srv.Handler().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("empty query = %d, want 400", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+// captureNotifier records every published intent so a test can assert which live
+// events a console action emitted.
+type captureNotifier struct {
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	intents []notify.Intent
+}
+
+func (c *captureNotifier) Publish(in ...notify.Intent) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	c.intents = append(c.intents, in...)
+}
+
+// count returns how many intents of kind addressed to user were captured.
+func (c *captureNotifier) count(user uuid.UUID, kind string) int {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	n := 0
+	for _, in := range c.intents {
+		if in.UserID == user && in.Kind == kind {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+// TestChatAccessPublishedOnModeration drives the admin console and asserts each
+// moderation action that can change chat eligibility — block, unblock, and the
+// chat_muted role grant/revoke — emits the chat_access_changed signal the gateway
+// turns into a chat-gate command.
+func TestChatAccessPublishedOnModeration(t *testing.T) {
+	notifier := &captureNotifier{}
+	srv := server.New(":0", server.Deps{
+		Logger:   zaptest.NewLogger(t),
+		DB:       testDB,
+		Accounts: account.NewStore(testDB),
+		Games:    newGameService(),
+		Registry: testRegistry,
+		DictDir:  dictDir(),
+		Notifier: notifier,
+	})
+	h := srv.Handler()
+	id := provisionAccount(t)
+	base := "http://admin.test/_gm/users/" + id.String()
+	const origin = "http://admin.test"
+
+	steps := []struct {
+		name, path, body string
+		want             string
+	}{
+		{"block", "/block", "duration=permanent", "Blocked"},
+		{"unblock", "/unblock", "", "Unblocked"},
+		{"grant chat_muted", "/grant-role", "role=chat_muted", "Role granted"},
+		{"revoke chat_muted", "/revoke-role", "role=chat_muted", "Role revoked"},
+	}
+	for i, s := range steps {
+		code, body := consoleDo(h, http.MethodPost, base+s.path, s.body, origin)
+		if code != http.StatusOK || !strings.Contains(body, s.want) {
+			t.Fatalf("%s = %d, has %q = %v", s.name, code, s.want, strings.Contains(body, s.want))
+		}
+		if got := notifier.count(id, notify.KindChatAccessChanged); got != i+1 {
+			t.Fatalf("after %s: chat_access_changed count = %d, want %d", s.name, got, i+1)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestChatAccessPublishedOnFirstRegistration checks that a Telegram first contact
+// (the sessions/telegram endpoint creating the account) emits chat_access_changed —
+// the re-grant for a user who joined the moderated chat before registering — and that
+// a repeat login does not re-emit.
+func TestChatAccessPublishedOnFirstRegistration(t *testing.T) {
+	notifier := &captureNotifier{}
+	srv := server.New(":0", server.Deps{
+		Logger:   zaptest.NewLogger(t),
+		DB:       testDB,
+		Accounts: account.NewStore(testDB),
+		Sessions: session.NewService(session.NewStore(testDB), session.NewCache()),
+		Notifier: notifier,
+	})
+	h := srv.Handler()
+	ext := "tg-" + uuid.NewString()
+
+	post := func() {
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/telegram",
+			strings.NewReader(`{"external_id":"`+ext+`","language_code":"en","first_name":"Reg"}`))
+		req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		h.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("telegram auth = %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+	}
+
+	post()
+	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).AccountByIdentity(context.Background(), account.KindTelegram, ext)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lookup: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := notifier.count(acc.ID, notify.KindChatAccessChanged); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("first registration: chat_access_changed count = %d, want 1", got)
+	}
+	// A repeat login (the account already exists) must not re-emit.
+	post()
+	if got := notifier.count(acc.ID, notify.KindChatAccessChanged); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("repeat login: chat_access_changed count = %d, want still 1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestSuspensionsExpiredBetween checks the sweeper's window query: a non-lifted
+// temporary block whose expiry falls in the window is returned, while one outside the
+// window, a permanent block, and a lifted block are not.
+func TestSuspensionsExpiredBetween(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	accounts := account.NewStore(testDB)
+
+	// A temporary block whose expiry already lapsed at a known instant.
+	tempID := provisionAccount(t)
+	expiry := time.Now().Add(-time.Hour).Truncate(time.Second)
+	if _, err := accounts.Suspend(ctx, tempID, &expiry, "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suspend temp: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	contains := func(ids []uuid.UUID, want uuid.UUID) bool {
+		for _, id := range ids {
+			if id == want {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// A window straddling the expiry returns the account.
+	got, err := accounts.SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx, expiry.Add(-time.Minute), expiry.Add(time.Minute))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expired between: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !contains(got, tempID) {
+		t.Fatalf("window over expiry missing the lapsed block %s", tempID)
+	}
+	// A window entirely after the expiry does not.
+	got, err = accounts.SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx, expiry.Add(time.Minute), expiry.Add(2*time.Minute))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expired between (after): %v", err)
+	}
+	if contains(got, tempID) {
+		t.Fatalf("window after expiry should not return %s", tempID)
+	}
+
+	// A permanent block never appears, even in a wide window.
+	permID := provisionAccount(t)
+	if _, err := accounts.Suspend(ctx, permID, nil, "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suspend perm: %v", err)
+	}
+	// A lifted block does not appear either. The block must still be in force when lifted
+	// (LiftSuspension only lifts in-force blocks), so its expiry is in the future and the
+	// wide window below still covers it — yet lifted_at excludes it.
+	liftID := provisionAccount(t)
+	liftExpiry := time.Now().Add(30 * time.Minute).Truncate(time.Second)
+	if _, err := accounts.Suspend(ctx, liftID, &liftExpiry, "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suspend lift: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := accounts.LiftSuspension(ctx, liftID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lift: %v", err)
+	}
+	wide, err := accounts.SuspensionsExpiredBetween(ctx, time.Now().Add(-2*time.Hour), time.Now().Add(time.Hour))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expired between (wide): %v", err)
+	}
+	if contains(wide, permID) {
+		t.Fatalf("permanent block %s must not be reported as expired", permID)
+	}
+	if contains(wide, liftID) {
+		t.Fatalf("lifted block %s must not be reported as expired", liftID)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/chatread_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/social"
+)
+
+// TestChatUnreadAndMarkRead checks a text message marks every recipient seat unread (not the
+// sender), surfaces through HasUnread / UnreadGames and the message-level HasUnreadMessage /
+// UnreadMessageGames (it is a real message, not a nudge), and that MarkRead clears the reader's bit.
+func TestChatUnreadAndMarkRead(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2) // seat 0 is to move
+
+	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, seats[0], "good luck", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post: %v", err)
+	}
+	// The opponent has it unread; the sender does not.
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); !unread {
+		t.Error("recipient should have the message unread")
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); unread {
+		t.Error("sender should not have their own message unread")
+	}
+	if set, err := svc.UnreadGames(ctx, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unread games: %v", err)
+	} else if !set[gameID] {
+		t.Error("UnreadGames should include the game for the recipient")
+	}
+	// A text message also raises the message-level flags (it is not just a nudge).
+	if msg, _ := svc.HasUnreadMessage(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); !msg {
+		t.Error("recipient should have the message flagged as an unread message")
+	}
+	if set, err := svc.UnreadMessageGames(ctx, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unread message games: %v", err)
+	} else if !set[gameID] {
+		t.Error("UnreadMessageGames should include the game for a text message")
+	}
+
+	// Reading it clears the recipient's bit and reports one entry marked.
+	if n, err := svc.MarkRead(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("mark read: %v", err)
+	} else if n != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("marked %d, want 1", n)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); unread {
+		t.Error("message should be read after MarkRead")
+	}
+	// A second MarkRead is a no-op — nothing is left unread.
+	if n, _ := svc.MarkRead(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); n != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("second mark read marked %d, want 0", n)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNudgeUnreadTargetsOnlyToMove checks, in a three-player game, that a nudge marks ONLY the
+// awaited (to-move) seat unread — never the other waiting players. This is the owner's nudge
+// targeting invariant, now observable through the unread bitmask. It also checks a nudge raises
+// HasUnread but not the message-level flags, so the badge can colour it apart from a real message.
+func TestNudgeUnreadTargetsOnlyToMove(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 3) // seat 0 is to move
+
+	// A waiting player nudges; only the awaited seat 0 is targeted.
+	if _, err := svc.Nudge(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("nudge: %v", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); !unread {
+		t.Error("the awaited seat should have the nudge unread")
+	}
+	// A nudge is not a message: it must not raise the message-level flags.
+	if msg, _ := svc.HasUnreadMessage(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); msg {
+		t.Error("a nudge must not be flagged as an unread message")
+	}
+	if set, _ := svc.UnreadMessageGames(ctx, seats[0]); set[gameID] {
+		t.Error("UnreadMessageGames must not include a game whose only unread entry is a nudge")
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[2]); unread {
+		t.Error("a non-awaited waiting seat must not receive the nudge")
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); unread {
+		t.Error("the nudging sender must not have it unread")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestTextMessageUnreadReachesAllOpponents checks a text message in a three-player game marks both
+// opponents (every seated player but the sender) unread.
+func TestTextMessageUnreadReachesAllOpponents(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 3) // seat 0 is to move and may chat
+
+	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, seats[0], "hello all", ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, s := range []int{1, 2} {
+		if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[s]); !unread {
+			t.Errorf("seat %d should have the text message unread", s)
+		}
+	}
+	if unread, _ := svc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); unread {
+		t.Error("the sender should not have their own message unread")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNudgeClearedByMove checks the move path clears a nudge the actor answered by moving: the
+// game service's wired NudgeClearer flips the awaited seat's nudge to read on commit.
+func TestNudgeClearedByMove(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	gameSvc, gameID, seats, play := newDraftGame(t)
+	socialSvc := newSocialService()
+	gameSvc.SetNudgeClearer(socialSvc.ClearNudges)
+
+	// The waiting seat 1 nudges the to-move seat 0.
+	if _, err := socialSvc.Nudge(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("nudge: %v", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := socialSvc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); !unread {
+		t.Fatal("seat 0 should have the nudge unread before moving")
+	}
+	// Seat 0 answers by moving — the commit clears its pending nudge.
+	if _, err := gameSvc.SubmitPlay(ctx, gameID, seats[0], play.Tiles); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("submit play: %v", err)
+	}
+	if unread, _ := socialSvc.HasUnread(ctx, gameID, seats[0]); unread {
+		t.Error("the nudge should be cleared once the awaited player has moved")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestChatToRobotIsBornRead checks a text message to a disguised robot opponent (a pooled
+// robot substituted into an ordinary, non-AI game) is born read: the robot never opens the
+// chat, so the message must not linger unread (skewing the count and the read metric).
+func TestChatToRobotIsBornRead(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	robot, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionRobot(ctx, "robot-chat-"+uuid.NewString(), "Robbie")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	g, err := newGameService().Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+		Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{human, robot.ID},
+		TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: openingSeed(t),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create game: %v", err)
+	}
+	// The human (seat 0, to move) chats the disguised robot; the message is born read.
+	msg, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, g.ID, human, "good luck", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post: %v", err)
+	}
+	if items, _ := svc.AdminListMessages(ctx, social.AdminMessageFilter{GameID: g.ID, UnreadOnly: true}, 50, 0); len(items) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a message to a robot should be born read, but the unread filter listed %d", len(items))
+	}
+	card, err := svc.AdminMessageDetail(ctx, msg.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("detail: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, s := range card.Seats {
+		if s.AccountID == robot.ID && s.Role != "read" {
+			t.Errorf("robot seat role = %q, want read", s.Role)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAdminChatUnreadFilterAndDetail checks the admin unread-only filter and the per-seat read
+// breakdown of the message card.
+func TestAdminChatUnreadFilterAndDetail(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+
+	msg, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, gameID, seats[0], "good luck", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post: %v", err)
+	}
+	// The unread-only filter (scoped to the game) lists the still-unread message.
+	if items, err := svc.AdminListMessages(ctx, social.AdminMessageFilter{GameID: gameID, UnreadOnly: true}, 50, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("admin list: %v", err)
+	} else if len(items) != 1 || items[0].ID != msg.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("unread filter = %+v, want the one message", items)
+	}
+	// The detail card marks the sender 'sender' and the recipient 'unread'.
+	card, err := svc.AdminMessageDetail(ctx, msg.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("detail: %v", err)
+	}
+	roles := map[uuid.UUID]string{}
+	for _, s := range card.Seats {
+		roles[s.AccountID] = s.Role
+	}
+	if roles[seats[0]] != "sender" {
+		t.Errorf("sender role = %q, want sender", roles[seats[0]])
+	}
+	if roles[seats[1]] != "unread" {
+		t.Errorf("recipient role = %q, want unread", roles[seats[1]])
+	}
+
+	// After the recipient reads, the filter drops it and the seat flips to 'read'.
+	if _, err := svc.MarkRead(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("mark read: %v", err)
+	}
+	if items, _ := svc.AdminListMessages(ctx, social.AdminMessageFilter{GameID: gameID, UnreadOnly: true}, 50, 0); len(items) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("unread filter should be empty after read, got %d", len(items))
+	}
+	card2, err := svc.AdminMessageDetail(ctx, msg.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("detail after read: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, s := range card2.Seats {
+		if s.AccountID == seats[1] && s.Role != "read" {
+			t.Errorf("recipient role after read = %q, want read", s.Role)
+		}
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/dictionary_update_test.go

@@ -134,11 +134,13 @@ func TestDictionaryUpdateFlow(t *testing.T) {
 // newGameServiceOn builds a game service over the shared pool but a caller-supplied
 // dictionary directory, version and registry, for the isolated dictionary tests.
 func newGameServiceOn(dir, version string, reg *engine.Registry) *game.Service {
-	return game.NewService(
+	svc := game.NewService(
 		game.NewStore(testDB), account.NewStore(testDB), reg,
 		game.Config{DictDir: dir, DictVersion: version, TimeoutSweepInterval: time.Minute, CacheTTL: time.Hour},
 		zap.NewNop(),
 	)
+	svc.SetFirstMoveEntropy(seatZeroFirstMove)
+	return svc
 }
 
 // seedDawgs copies the committed DAWG of every variant from src into dst (flat).

backend/internal/inttest/email_test.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"regexp"
+	"slices"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -134,12 +135,20 @@ func TestUpdateProfilePersists(t *testing.T) {
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
+	// A fresh account defaults to Erudit only (the DB-level column default).
+	if def, err := store.GetByID(ctx, acc); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get default: %v", err)
+	} else if want := []string{"erudit_ru"}; !slices.Equal(def.VariantPreferences, want) {
+		t.Errorf("default variant preferences = %v, want %v", def.VariantPreferences, want)
+	}
+
 	updated, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, acc, account.ProfileUpdate{
 		DisplayName:         "Kaya",
 		PreferredLanguage:   "ru",
 		TimeZone:            "Europe/Moscow",
 		BlockChat:           true,
 		BlockFriendRequests: true,
+		VariantPreferences:  []string{"scrabble_en", "erudit_ru"},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("update profile: %v", err)
@@ -157,6 +166,10 @@ func TestUpdateProfilePersists(t *testing.T) {
 	if reloaded.TimeZone != "Europe/Moscow" || !reloaded.BlockChat {
 		t.Errorf("profile did not persist: %+v", reloaded)
 	}
+	// The text[] column round-trips and is stored canonically (Erudit-first).
+	if want := []string{"erudit_ru", "scrabble_en"}; !slices.Equal(reloaded.VariantPreferences, want) {
+		t.Errorf("variant preferences = %v, want %v", reloaded.VariantPreferences, want)
+	}
 }
 
 // TestUpdateProfileOffsetTimezone checks the UTC-offset timezone: it is
@@ -167,9 +180,10 @@ func TestUpdateProfileOffsetTimezone(t *testing.T) {
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
 	updated, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, acc, account.ProfileUpdate{
-		DisplayName:       "Kaya",
-		PreferredLanguage: "en",
-		TimeZone:          "+03:00",
+		DisplayName:        "Kaya",
+		PreferredLanguage:  "en",
+		TimeZone:           "+03:00",
+		VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("update with offset timezone: %v", err)

backend/internal/inttest/feedback_test.go

@@ -145,48 +145,33 @@ func TestFeedbackReplyHiddenAfterNewMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestFeedbackSnapshotsLanguages(t *testing.T) {
+func TestFeedbackSnapshotsLanguage(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	svc := newFeedbackService()
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
-		`UPDATE backend.accounts SET preferred_language = 'en', service_language = 'ru' WHERE account_id = $1`, acc); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("set languages: %v", err)
+		`UPDATE backend.accounts SET preferred_language = 'en' WHERE account_id = $1`, acc); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set language: %v", err)
 	}
-	// A Telegram (connector) message snapshots both the interface language and the bot.
+	// A message snapshots the sender's interface language at submit time.
 	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "from telegram", nil, "", "telegram", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit: %v", err)
 	}
 	id := latestFeedbackID(t, svc, acc)
 	if m, err := svc.AdminGet(ctx, id); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("admin get: %v", err)
-	} else if m.Lang != "en" || m.ChannelLang != "ru" {
-		t.Fatalf("snapshot = lang %q / channel_lang %q, want en / ru", m.Lang, m.ChannelLang)
+	} else if m.Lang != "en" {
+		t.Fatalf("snapshot = lang %q, want en", m.Lang)
 	}
 	// Changing the account afterwards must not change the stored snapshot.
 	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
-		`UPDATE backend.accounts SET preferred_language = 'ru', service_language = 'en' WHERE account_id = $1`, acc); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("change languages: %v", err)
+		`UPDATE backend.accounts SET preferred_language = 'ru' WHERE account_id = $1`, acc); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("change language: %v", err)
 	}
 	if m, err := svc.AdminGet(ctx, id); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
-	} else if m.Lang != "en" || m.ChannelLang != "ru" {
-		t.Fatalf("snapshot drifted after account change = lang %q / channel_lang %q", m.Lang, m.ChannelLang)
-	}
-
-	// A non-connector channel records no bot language even when the account has one.
-	acc2 := provisionAccount(t)
-	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
-		`UPDATE backend.accounts SET preferred_language = 'en', service_language = 'ru' WHERE account_id = $1`, acc2); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("set languages 2: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc2, "from web", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("submit web: %v", err)
-	}
-	if m, err := svc.AdminGet(ctx, latestFeedbackID(t, svc, acc2)); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	} else if m.Lang != "en" || m.ChannelLang != "" {
-		t.Fatalf("web snapshot = lang %q / channel_lang %q, want en / empty", m.Lang, m.ChannelLang)
+	} else if m.Lang != "en" {
+		t.Fatalf("snapshot drifted after account change = lang %q, want en", m.Lang)
 	}
 }
 

backend/internal/inttest/first_move_draw_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+)
+
+// The first-move-draw suite covers the official seeding (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6): the draw is
+// recorded with the game, decides seat 0 (the first mover), and — in auto-match — runs against
+// a synthetic opponent at open time whose draw rows are back-filled when a real opponent joins.
+
+// TestCreateRecordsFirstMoveDraws checks a directly-seated game records the draw against the
+// real seated accounts and seats the drawn leader (the suite's deterministic draw elects the
+// first-listed account) at seat 0.
+func TestCreateRecordsFirstMoveDraws(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newGameService()
+	a := provisionAccount(t)
+	b := provisionAccount(t)
+	g, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{a, b}, TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: 1})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	if g.Seats[0].AccountID != a || g.Seats[1].AccountID != b {
+		t.Fatalf("seats = [%s %s], want [a b]", g.Seats[0].AccountID, g.Seats[1].AccountID)
+	}
+	draws, err := svc.SetupDraws(ctx, g.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setup draws: %v", err)
+	}
+	// seatZeroFirstMove resolves in one round: the first contender (a) draws a blank and wins.
+	if len(draws) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("draws = %d, want 2 (one round, two players)", len(draws))
+	}
+	if draws[0].Account != a || !draws[0].Blank {
+		t.Fatalf("draw[0] = %+v, want a having drawn a blank", draws[0])
+	}
+	if draws[1].Account != b {
+		t.Fatalf("draw[1] account = %s, want b", draws[1].Account)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAutoMatchDrawBackfilledOnJoin checks an open auto-match game records the draw at open
+// time against the synthetic opponent (a NULL account) and back-fills those rows to the real
+// opponent when they join.
+func TestAutoMatchDrawBackfilledOnJoin(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	clearOpenGames(t)
+	svc := newGameService()
+	starter := provisionAccount(t)
+	g := openGame(t, svc, starter, evenOpeningSeed(t))
+
+	draws, err := svc.SetupDraws(ctx, g.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setup draws: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(draws) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("open draws = %d, want 2", len(draws))
+	}
+	var nullSeen, starterSeen bool
+	for _, d := range draws {
+		switch d.Account {
+		case uuid.Nil:
+			nullSeen = true
+		case starter:
+			starterSeen = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !nullSeen || !starterSeen {
+		t.Fatalf("open draws = %+v, want the starter and a NULL synthetic opponent", draws)
+	}
+
+	joiner := provisionAccount(t)
+	if _, joined, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(ctx, joiner, openParams(0), time.Now().Add(time.Minute), nil); err != nil || !joined {
+		t.Fatalf("join = (joined %v, err %v), want joined", joined, err)
+	}
+	after, err := svc.SetupDraws(ctx, g.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setup draws after join: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, d := range after {
+		if d.Account == uuid.Nil {
+			t.Fatalf("draw still NULL after join: %+v", d)
+		}
+		if d.Account != starter && d.Account != joiner {
+			t.Fatalf("draw account %s is neither player", d.Account)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestReplayTimeline checks the admin replay timeline reconstructs the dealt racks and one
+// played move: the step count, the drawn tiles, the bag remainder, the running score and the
+// turn cursor.
+func TestReplayTimeline(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newGameService()
+	a := provisionAccount(t)
+	b := provisionAccount(t)
+	seed := evenOpeningSeed(t)
+	g, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{a, b}, TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: seed})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	hint, ok := newMirror(t, seed, 2).HintView()
+	if !ok || len(hint.Tiles) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("no opening move for the seed")
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.SubmitPlay(ctx, g.ID, a, hint.Tiles); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("play: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tl, err := svc.ReplayTimeline(ctx, g.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("replay timeline: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(tl.Steps) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("steps = %d, want 2 (deal + one move)", len(tl.Steps))
+	}
+	deal := tl.Steps[0]
+	if deal.Move != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("step 0 must be the deal, got move %+v", deal.Move)
+	}
+	rackSize := len(deal.Racks[0])
+	if rackSize == 0 || len(deal.Racks) != 2 || len(deal.Racks[1]) != rackSize {
+		t.Fatalf("deal racks = %v, want two equal full racks", deal.Racks)
+	}
+	move := tl.Steps[1]
+	if move.Move == nil || move.Move.Action != "play" {
+		t.Fatalf("step 1 move = %+v, want a play", move.Move)
+	}
+	if len(move.Drawn) != len(hint.Tiles) {
+		t.Fatalf("drawn = %v, want %d refilled tiles", move.Drawn, len(hint.Tiles))
+	}
+	if move.BagLen != deal.BagLen-len(hint.Tiles) {
+		t.Fatalf("bag after play = %d, want %d", move.BagLen, deal.BagLen-len(hint.Tiles))
+	}
+	if len(move.Racks[0]) != rackSize {
+		t.Fatalf("mover rack after refill = %d, want %d", len(move.Racks[0]), rackSize)
+	}
+	if move.Scores[0] <= 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("seat 0 score after play = %d, want > 0", move.Scores[0])
+	}
+	if move.ToMove != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("to_move after seat 0 play = %d, want 1", move.ToMove)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/game_limit_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/server"
+)
+
+// The game-limit suite covers the simultaneous quick-game cap (game.MaxActiveQuickGames):
+// the counting rule (Store/Service.CountActiveQuickGames) and the HTTP gate that refuses a
+// new game once the cap is reached, while accepting an incoming invitation stays allowed.
+
+// TestCountActiveQuickGames checks the count includes active and open quick games (the
+// honest-AI ones among them) and excludes finished games, friend games (created by
+// invitation) and games the account is not seated in.
+func TestCountActiveQuickGames(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	clearOpenGames(t)
+	games := newGameService()
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	opp := provisionAccount(t)
+
+	if n := mustCount(t, games, human); n != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("fresh account count = %d, want 0", n)
+	}
+
+	// An open (awaiting-opponent) quick game counts.
+	if _, _, err := games.OpenOrJoin(ctx, human, game.CreateParams{
+		Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour,
+	}, time.Now().Add(time.Minute), nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("open quick game: %v", err)
+	}
+	// An active quick game and an honest-AI quick game both count (neither has an invitation row).
+	mustCreateQuick(t, games, []uuid.UUID{human, opp}, false, 1)
+	mustCreateQuick(t, games, []uuid.UUID{human, opp}, true, 2)
+
+	// A finished quick game does NOT count.
+	fin := mustCreateQuick(t, games, []uuid.UUID{human, opp}, false, 3)
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE backend.games SET status='finished' WHERE game_id=$1`, fin); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("finish game: %v", err)
+	}
+	// A game the human is not seated in does NOT count.
+	mustCreateQuick(t, games, []uuid.UUID{opp, provisionAccount(t)}, false, 4)
+	// A friend game (created by invitation) does NOT count, even though it is active.
+	startFriendGame(t, human)
+
+	if n := mustCount(t, games, human); n != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("active quick count = %d, want 3 (active + AI + open)", n)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGameLimitGate drives the cap through the assembled HTTP server: under the cap the lobby
+// reports at_game_limit false; at the cap it flips to true and both new-game endpoints (quick
+// enqueue and invitation creation) are refused with 409 game_limit_reached, while accepting an
+// incoming invitation is still allowed.
+func TestGameLimitGate(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	games := newGameService()
+	srv := server.New(":0", server.Deps{
+		Logger:      zaptest.NewLogger(t),
+		DB:          testDB,
+		Accounts:    account.NewStore(testDB),
+		Games:       games,
+		Matchmaker:  newMatchmaker(t, newRobotService(t, newGameService()), time.Minute, 0),
+		Invitations: newInvitationService(),
+	})
+
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	opp := provisionAccount(t)
+
+	// Under the cap: the lobby reports the player is not limited.
+	if gamesListAtLimit(t, srv, human) {
+		t.Fatal("a fresh account must be under the game limit")
+	}
+
+	// Reach the cap with active quick games seating the human (no invitation row → quick).
+	for i := 0; i < game.MaxActiveQuickGames; i++ {
+		mustCreateQuick(t, games, []uuid.UUID{human, opp}, false, int64(i+1))
+	}
+
+	// At the cap: the lobby flags it and both create paths are refused with the stable code.
+	if !gamesListAtLimit(t, srv, human) {
+		t.Fatalf("at %d games at_game_limit must be true", game.MaxActiveQuickGames)
+	}
+	// erudit_ru is in the default variant preferences, so the variant gate passes and the
+	// game-limit gate is what fires here.
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/lobby/enqueue", human, `{"variant":"erudit_ru"}`); rec.Code != http.StatusConflict || errorCode(t, rec) != "game_limit_reached" {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue at limit = (%d, %q), want (409, game_limit_reached)", rec.Code, errorCode(t, rec))
+	}
+	invBody := fmt.Sprintf(`{"variant":"erudit_ru","invitee_ids":[%q]}`, opp.String())
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/invitations", human, invBody); rec.Code != http.StatusConflict || errorCode(t, rec) != "game_limit_reached" {
+		t.Fatalf("invitation at limit = (%d, %q), want (409, game_limit_reached)", rec.Code, errorCode(t, rec))
+	}
+
+	// Accepting an incoming invitation is never blocked, even at the cap: another player invites
+	// the capped human, who accepts over HTTP and the game starts (friend games do not count).
+	inviter := provisionAccount(t)
+	inv := newInvitationService()
+	invitation, err := inv.CreateInvitation(ctx, inviter, []uuid.UUID{human}, englishInvite())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create invitation: %v", err)
+	}
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/invitations/"+invitation.ID.String()+"/accept", human, ""); rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("accept at limit = %d (%s), want 200 — accept must bypass the cap", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+}
+
+// mustCount returns the account's active-quick-game count, failing on error.
+func mustCount(t *testing.T, games *game.Service, id uuid.UUID) int {
+	t.Helper()
+	n, err := games.CountActiveQuickGames(context.Background(), id)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("count active quick games: %v", err)
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+// mustCreateQuick creates an active quick game (no invitation) seating the given accounts and
+// returns its id; vsAI flags an honest-AI game (the service then applies the 7-day clock).
+func mustCreateQuick(t *testing.T, games *game.Service, seats []uuid.UUID, vsAI bool, seed int64) uuid.UUID {
+	t.Helper()
+	p := game.CreateParams{Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: seats, TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: seed}
+	if vsAI {
+		p.VsAI = true
+		p.TurnTimeout = 0 // the service applies the 7-day AI inactivity clock for vs_ai games
+	}
+	g, err := games.Create(context.Background(), p)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create quick game (vsAI=%v): %v", vsAI, err)
+	}
+	return g.ID
+}
+
+// startFriendGame has a fresh inviter invite the given account to a friend game and the invitee
+// accept it, so the (active) friend game exists with its game_invitations row.
+func startFriendGame(t *testing.T, invitee uuid.UUID) {
+	t.Helper()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	inv := newInvitationService()
+	inviter := provisionAccount(t)
+	invitation, err := inv.CreateInvitation(ctx, inviter, []uuid.UUID{invitee}, englishInvite())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create invitation: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := inv.RespondInvitation(ctx, invitation.ID, invitee, true); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("accept invitation: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// gamesListAtLimit fetches /api/v1/user/games and returns its at_game_limit flag.
+func gamesListAtLimit(t *testing.T, srv *server.Server, id uuid.UUID) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	rec := userGet(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/games", id)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("games.list status = %d, want 200", rec.Code)
+	}
+	var body struct {
+		AtGameLimit bool `json:"at_game_limit"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &body); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode games.list: %v", err)
+	}
+	return body.AtGameLimit
+}
+
+// userPost issues an authenticated JSON POST (X-User-ID) against the assembled server.
+func userPost(t *testing.T, srv *server.Server, path string, id uuid.UUID, body string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+	t.Helper()
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, path, strings.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("X-User-ID", id.String())
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	srv.Handler().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	return rec
+}

backend/internal/inttest/game_test.go

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
 )
@@ -120,8 +121,8 @@ func TestGameLifecycleAndStats(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("final game not finished: %+v", last.Game)
 	}
 
-	w0, l0, d0, mg0, _, ok0 := readStats(t, seats[0])
-	w1, l1, d1, mg1, _, ok1 := readStats(t, seats[1])
+	w0, l0, d0, mg0, mw0, ok0 := readStats(t, seats[0])
+	w1, l1, d1, mg1, mw1, ok1 := readStats(t, seats[1])
 	if !ok0 || !ok1 {
 		t.Fatal("both players must have a stats row")
 	}
@@ -133,6 +134,52 @@ func TestGameLifecycleAndStats(t *testing.T) {
 	if !decisive && !draw {
 		t.Errorf("inconsistent W/L/D: p0(%d/%d/%d) p1(%d/%d/%d)", w0, l0, d0, w1, l1, d1)
 	}
+
+	// Each player who made a scoring play gets exactly one per-variant best move (only
+	// scrabble_en was played here); its score equals the aggregate max_word_points and it
+	// carries the decoded word as tiles.
+	accounts := account.NewStore(testDB)
+	for _, p := range []struct {
+		id      uuid.UUID
+		maxWord int
+	}{{seats[0], mw0}, {seats[1], mw1}} {
+		if p.maxWord == 0 {
+			continue // a player who only passed has no best move
+		}
+		st, err := accounts.GetStats(ctx, p.id)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("get stats: %v", err)
+		}
+		// The player made at least one scoring play (maxWord > 0), so the moves aggregate is
+		// positive; no hints were taken in this greedy game, so the hints aggregate stays 0.
+		if st.Moves <= 0 {
+			t.Errorf("moves = %d, want > 0", st.Moves)
+		}
+		if st.HintsUsed != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("hints used = %d, want 0 (no hints taken)", st.HintsUsed)
+		}
+		if len(st.BestMoves) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("want one best move (only scrabble_en played), got %d: %+v", len(st.BestMoves), st.BestMoves)
+		}
+		bm := st.BestMoves[0]
+		if bm.Variant != engine.VariantEnglish.String() {
+			t.Errorf("best move variant = %q, want %q", bm.Variant, engine.VariantEnglish.String())
+		}
+		if bm.Score != p.maxWord {
+			t.Errorf("best move score %d != max_word_points %d", bm.Score, p.maxWord)
+		}
+		if len(bm.Tiles) == 0 {
+			t.Error("best move word is empty")
+		}
+		for _, tl := range bm.Tiles {
+			if tl.Letter == "" {
+				t.Error("best move tile has empty letter")
+			}
+			if tl.Blank && tl.Value != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("blank tile must score 0, got %d", tl.Value)
+			}
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // TestReplayEquivalence plays a few moves through one service, then proves a
@@ -369,6 +416,15 @@ func TestHintPolicy(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := svc.Hint(ctx, g.ID, seats[0]); err != nil { // spends the allowance
 		t.Fatalf("first hint: %v", err)
 	}
+	// The allowance is spent before the wallet: with an empty wallet, the state now reports no
+	// hints left and a zero wallet, so the per-game allowance (HintsRemaining-WalletBalance) is 0.
+	st, err := svc.GameState(ctx, g.ID, seats[0])
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("state: %v", err)
+	}
+	if st.HintsRemaining != 0 || st.WalletBalance != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("after allowance hint: hints=%d wallet=%d, want 0/0", st.HintsRemaining, st.WalletBalance)
+	}
 	if _, err := svc.Hint(ctx, g.ID, seats[0]); !errors.Is(err, game.ErrNoHintsLeft) {
 		t.Fatalf("second hint = %v, want ErrNoHintsLeft", err)
 	}
@@ -377,8 +433,18 @@ func TestHintPolicy(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("wallet hint: %v", err)
 	}
-	if res.HintsRemaining != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("hints remaining = %d, want 1", res.HintsRemaining)
+	// The allowance stays exhausted; the wallet dropped 2->1, and WalletBalance carries it alone.
+	if res.HintsRemaining != 1 || res.WalletBalance != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("wallet hint: hints=%d wallet=%d, want 1/1", res.HintsRemaining, res.WalletBalance)
+	}
+	// game_players.hints_used counts BOTH hints (1 allowance + 1 wallet) — the per-game total
+	// that feeds the player's lifetime hint statistics, not just the allowance.
+	st2, err := svc.GameState(ctx, g.ID, seats[0])
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("state after wallet hint: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := st2.Game.Seats[0].HintsUsed; got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("hints_used = %d after allowance + wallet hint, want 2", got)
 	}
 
 	off, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
@@ -477,6 +543,12 @@ func TestEvaluatePlayPreview(t *testing.T) {
 	if bad.Valid {
 		t.Error("disconnected play must be invalid")
 	}
+
+	// A non-seated account cannot preview: with the game warm in the live cache, the
+	// membership check runs against the cached seat list (the hot path that skips GetGame).
+	if _, err := svc.EvaluatePlay(ctx, g.ID, provisionAccount(t), hint.Tiles); !errors.Is(err, game.ErrNotAPlayer) {
+		t.Errorf("evaluate by a non-player = %v, want ErrNotAPlayer", err)
+	}
 }
 
 // TestConcurrentSubmitSerialized confirms the per-game lock lets only one of two

backend/internal/inttest/helpers.go

@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ import (
 // assembly, and the stats reader. Helpers used by a single test file stay in
 // that file; everything reused across files lives here.
 
-// newGameService builds a game service over the shared pool and registry.
+// newGameService builds a game service over the shared pool and registry, with a
+// deterministic first-move draw so the suite keeps a stable turn order.
 func newGameService() *game.Service {
-	return game.NewService(
+	svc := game.NewService(
 		game.NewStore(testDB),
 		account.NewStore(testDB),
 		testRegistry,
@@ -40,6 +41,39 @@ func newGameService() *game.Service {
 		},
 		zap.NewNop(),
 	)
+	svc.SetFirstMoveEntropy(seatZeroFirstMove)
+	return svc
+}
+
+// seatZeroFirstMove is a first-move-draw entropy factory that always elects the first
+// listed account as the leader, keeping the integration suite's turn order stable
+// despite the real draw's randomness: the first contender draws a blank — the best
+// possible tile — and wins outright, the rest draw the first remaining tile. It is a
+// factory so each game restarts the one-shot "blank" pick.
+func seatZeroFirstMove() func(n int) (int, error) {
+	first := true
+	return func(n int) (int, error) {
+		if first {
+			first = false
+			return n - 1, nil // a blank sits last in the bag → best rank
+		}
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// seatOneFirstMove is a first-move-draw entropy factory that elects the second contender (in
+// auto-match, the synthetic opponent) as the leader, so the caller is seated at seat 1: the
+// first contender draws the first remaining tile and the second draws a blank, winning.
+func seatOneFirstMove() func(n int) (int, error) {
+	pick := 0
+	return func(n int) (int, error) {
+		i := 0
+		if pick == 1 {
+			i = n - 1 // the second contender draws a blank → best rank
+		}
+		pick++
+		return i, nil
+	}
 }
 
 // newSocialService builds a social service over the shared pool, reading game

backend/internal/inttest/lobby_filter_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+)
+
+// TestListForLobbyDropsLeftAIGames covers the lobby filter (game.Service.ListForLobby): a
+// finished honest-AI game the player left — by resigning or by abandoning to the inactivity
+// timeout — drops out of the lobby list, while it stays in ListForAccount so the admin console
+// and the account-merge count keep the full set. A normally finished AI game, an active AI game
+// and a left human game all stay in the lobby. The drop is a game property, not a per-resigner
+// one, so it leaves every seat's lobby.
+func TestListForLobbyDropsLeftAIGames(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newGameService()
+
+	createAI := func(t *testing.T) (uuid.UUID, []uuid.UUID) {
+		t.Helper()
+		seats := []uuid.UUID{provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)}
+		g, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+			Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: seats, TurnTimeout: time.Hour, Seed: 1, VsAI: true,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create AI game: %v", err)
+		}
+		return g.ID, seats
+	}
+
+	t.Run("resign dropped from lobby, kept in account list", func(t *testing.T) {
+		gid, seats := createAI(t)
+		me := seats[0]
+		res, err := svc.Resign(ctx, gid, me)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("resign: %v", err)
+		}
+		if res.Game.EndReason != "resign" {
+			t.Fatalf("end reason = %q, want resign", res.Game.EndReason)
+		}
+		if lobbyHas(t, svc, me, gid) {
+			t.Error("resigned AI game still in the lobby list")
+		}
+		if !containsGame(t, svc, me, gid) {
+			t.Error("resigned AI game missing from the full account list (the row must stay)")
+		}
+		if lobbyHas(t, svc, seats[1], gid) {
+			t.Error("resigned AI game still in the opponent's lobby list (drop is per-game)")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("timeout dropped from lobby", func(t *testing.T) {
+		gid, seats := createAI(t)
+		me := seats[0] // seat 0 is to move and will be timed out
+		// Disable the away window so the sweep is deterministic regardless of wall clock.
+		setAway(t, me, "UTC", "00:00", "00:00")
+		backdate(t, gid, time.Now().UTC().Add(-(game.AIInactivityTimeout + 2*time.Hour)))
+		if n, err := svc.SweepTimeouts(ctx, time.Now().UTC()); err != nil || n < 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("sweep swept %d (err %v), want >= 1", n, err)
+		}
+		if status, reason := gameStatus(t, svc, gid); status != game.StatusFinished || reason != "timeout" {
+			t.Fatalf("game not timed out: status %q reason %q", status, reason)
+		}
+		if lobbyHas(t, svc, me, gid) {
+			t.Error("abandoned (timed-out) AI game still in the lobby list")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("active AI game stays in lobby", func(t *testing.T) {
+		gid, seats := createAI(t)
+		if !lobbyHas(t, svc, seats[0], gid) {
+			t.Error("active AI game missing from the lobby list")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("normally finished AI game stays in lobby", func(t *testing.T) {
+		gid, seats := createAI(t)
+		var fin game.MoveResult
+		for i := 0; i < 8; i++ { // six consecutive passes end the game scoreless
+			r, err := svc.Pass(ctx, gid, seats[i%2])
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("pass %d: %v", i, err)
+			}
+			fin = r
+			if r.Game.Status == game.StatusFinished {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if fin.Game.Status != game.StatusFinished || fin.Game.EndReason != "scoreless" {
+			t.Fatalf("AI game not scoreless-finished: status %q reason %q", fin.Game.Status, fin.Game.EndReason)
+		}
+		if !lobbyHas(t, svc, seats[0], gid) {
+			t.Error("normally finished AI game must stay in the lobby list")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("left human game stays in lobby", func(t *testing.T) {
+		seats := []uuid.UUID{provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)}
+		g, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+			Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: seats, TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: 1,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create human game: %v", err)
+		}
+		if _, err := svc.Resign(ctx, g.ID, seats[0]); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("resign: %v", err)
+		}
+		if !lobbyHas(t, svc, seats[0], g.ID) {
+			t.Error("resigned human game must stay in the lobby list (only AI games are dropped)")
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+// lobbyHas reports whether the account's own lobby list (ListForLobby) includes gameID.
+func lobbyHas(t *testing.T, svc *game.Service, accountID, gameID uuid.UUID) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	games, err := svc.ListForLobby(context.Background(), accountID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list for lobby: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, g := range games {
+		if g.ID == gameID {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}

backend/internal/inttest/lobby_test.go

@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@ func TestMatchmakingOpensThenJoins(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestMatchmakingReEnqueueReturnsOwnOpenGame checks a re-enqueue is idempotent: the
-// caller gets their existing open game rather than a second one.
-func TestMatchmakingReEnqueueReturnsOwnOpenGame(t *testing.T) {
+// TestMatchmakingReEnqueueOpensNewGame checks a re-enqueue opens a fresh open game
+// rather than returning the caller's existing one: tapping "random opponent" again while
+// still waiting starts a new search instead of bouncing the player back into the pending
+// game. Both games stay open until an opponent (a human or the reaper's robot) joins each.
+func TestMatchmakingReEnqueueOpensNewGame(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	clearOpenGames(t)
 	mm := newMatchmaker(t, newRobotService(t, newGameService()), 90*time.Second, 90*time.Second)
@@ -90,8 +92,13 @@ func TestMatchmakingReEnqueueReturnsOwnOpenGame(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("re-enqueue: %v", err)
 	}
-	if r2.Game.ID != r1.Game.ID || r2.Matched {
-		t.Fatalf("re-enqueue = (game %s, matched %v), want the same open game %s unmatched", r2.Game.ID, r2.Matched, r1.Game.ID)
+	if r2.Matched || r2.Game.ID == r1.Game.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("re-enqueue = (game %s, matched %v), want a new open game distinct from %s, unmatched", r2.Game.ID, r2.Matched, r1.Game.ID)
+	}
+	for _, g := range []uuid.UUID{r1.Game.ID, r2.Game.ID} {
+		if _, _, status, err := newGameService().Participants(ctx, g); err != nil || status != "open" {
+			t.Fatalf("game %s status = %q err %v, want open", g, status, err)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -191,14 +198,36 @@ func TestInvitationLazyExpiry(t *testing.T) {
 func TestInvitationBlockedInvitee(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	svc := newInvitationService()
-	social := newSocialService()
+	pub := &capturePublisher{}
+	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
+	soc := newSocialService()
+
+	// The inviter has blocked an invitee: the invitation is refused outright (the inviter is aware).
 	inviter := provisionAccount(t)
-	invitee := provisionAccount(t)
-	if err := social.Block(ctx, invitee, inviter); err != nil {
+	blockedInvitee := provisionAccount(t)
+	if err := soc.Block(ctx, inviter, blockedInvitee); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
 	}
-	if _, err := svc.CreateInvitation(ctx, inviter, []uuid.UUID{invitee}, englishInvite()); !errors.Is(err, lobby.ErrInvitationBlocked) {
-		t.Fatalf("create blocked = %v, want ErrInvitationBlocked", err)
+	if _, err := svc.CreateInvitation(ctx, inviter, []uuid.UUID{blockedInvitee}, englishInvite()); !errors.Is(err, lobby.ErrInvitationBlocked) {
+		t.Fatalf("create with a blocked invitee = %v, want ErrInvitationBlocked", err)
+	}
+
+	// An invitee who has blocked the inviter is instead suppressed: the invitation is created
+	// (no error — the inviter notices nothing), but that invitee is never notified and never
+	// sees it in their list.
+	inviter2 := provisionAccount(t)
+	suppressed := provisionAccount(t)
+	if err := soc.Block(ctx, suppressed, inviter2); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.CreateInvitation(ctx, inviter2, []uuid.UUID{suppressed}, englishInvite()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create with a suppressing invitee = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	if pub.notified(suppressed, notify.NotifyInvitation) {
+		t.Error("an invitee who blocked the inviter must not be notified of the invitation")
+	}
+	if list, _ := svc.ListInvitations(ctx, suppressed); len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("suppressed invitee's invitation list = %v, want empty", list)
 	}
 }
 

backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go

@@ -30,6 +30,34 @@ func setStats(t *testing.T, id uuid.UUID, w, l, d, mg, mw int) {
 	}
 }
 
+func setStatsCounts(t *testing.T, id uuid.UUID, moves, hints int) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(context.Background(),
+		`UPDATE backend.account_stats SET moves=$2, hints_used=$3 WHERE account_id=$1`, id, moves, hints); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set stats counts: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func setBestMove(t *testing.T, id uuid.UUID, variant string, score int) {
+	t.Helper()
+	tiles := `[{"letter":"c","value":3,"blank":false}]`
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(context.Background(),
+		`INSERT INTO backend.account_best_move (account_id, variant, score, tiles) VALUES ($1,$2,$3,$4)
+		 ON CONFLICT (account_id, variant) DO UPDATE SET score=$3, tiles=$4`, id, variant, score, tiles); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set best move: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func bestMoveCount(t *testing.T, id uuid.UUID) int {
+	t.Helper()
+	var n int
+	if err := testDB.QueryRowContext(context.Background(),
+		`SELECT count(*) FROM backend.account_best_move WHERE account_id=$1`, id).Scan(&n); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("best move count: %v", err)
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
 func setWallet(t *testing.T, id uuid.UUID, hints int, paid bool) {
 	t.Helper()
 	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(context.Background(),
@@ -110,8 +138,15 @@ func TestAccountMergeCore(t *testing.T) {
 
 	setStats(t, primary, 1, 0, 0, 100, 90)
 	setStats(t, secondary, 3, 1, 2, 400, 80)
+	setStatsCounts(t, primary, 100, 5)
+	setStatsCounts(t, secondary, 50, 8)
 	setWallet(t, primary, 2, false)
 	setWallet(t, secondary, 5, true)
+	// Best moves: secondary's scrabble_en (80) beats primary's (50) and is kept; secondary's
+	// scrabble_ru (30) is new to primary and carried over.
+	setBestMove(t, primary, "scrabble_en", 50)
+	setBestMove(t, secondary, "scrabble_en", 80)
+	setBestMove(t, secondary, "scrabble_ru", 30)
 
 	email := "merge-" + uuid.NewString() + "@example.com"
 	bindEmailIdentity(t, secondary, email)
@@ -153,6 +188,26 @@ func TestAccountMergeCore(t *testing.T) {
 	if mergedInto(t, secondary) != primary {
 		t.Errorf("secondary.merged_into = %s, want primary %s", mergedInto(t, secondary), primary)
 	}
+
+	// The moves/hints counters sum, and the per-variant best moves merge (the higher score
+	// per variant kept), with the secondary's best-move rows cleaned up.
+	st, err := store.GetStats(ctx, primary)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get merged stats: %v", err)
+	}
+	if st.Moves != 150 || st.HintsUsed != 13 {
+		t.Errorf("primary moves/hints = %d/%d, want 150/13", st.Moves, st.HintsUsed)
+	}
+	best := map[string]int{}
+	for _, b := range st.BestMoves {
+		best[b.Variant] = b.Score
+	}
+	if len(st.BestMoves) != 2 || best["scrabble_en"] != 80 || best["scrabble_ru"] != 30 {
+		t.Errorf("primary best moves = %+v, want scrabble_en:80 + scrabble_ru:30", st.BestMoves)
+	}
+	if bestMoveCount(t, secondary) != 0 {
+		t.Error("secondary best-move rows should be deleted after merge")
+	}
 }
 
 // TestAccountMergeActiveGameConflict refuses a merge when the two share an active

backend/internal/inttest/open_match_test.go

@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ import (
 // The open-game suite covers an auto-match game that a player enters immediately and
 // waits inside (status 'open', the opponent seat empty) until a human or a robot joins.
 
-// evenOpeningSeed returns an even seed (so OpenOrJoin seats the starter at seat 0, which
-// moves first) whose fresh two-player English opening rack has a legal move.
+// evenOpeningSeed returns a seed whose fresh two-player English opening rack (seat 0) has a
+// legal move, for tests that drive or attempt an opening play. It scans even seeds; seat
+// order no longer depends on the seed — the first-move draw decides it (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §6).
 func evenOpeningSeed(t *testing.T) int64 {
 	t.Helper()
 	for seed := int64(2); seed <= 400; seed += 2 {
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ func openParams(seed int64) game.CreateParams {
 
 func openGame(t *testing.T, svc *game.Service, starter uuid.UUID, seed int64) game.Game {
 	t.Helper()
-	g, joined, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(context.Background(), starter, openParams(seed), time.Now().Add(time.Minute))
+	g, joined, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(context.Background(), starter, openParams(seed), time.Now().Add(time.Minute), nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("open game: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -59,9 +60,9 @@ func openGame(t *testing.T, svc *game.Service, starter uuid.UUID, seed int64) ga
 	return g
 }
 
-// TestOpenGameStarterMovesThenWaits checks the starter (seat 0) may move on their turn
-// while the game is open, after which it is the empty opponent seat's turn and the
-// starter just waits.
+// TestOpenGameStarterMovesThenWaits checks the starter may move on their turn while the game
+// is open (the first-move draw, run when the game opened, put them at seat 0), after which it
+// is the empty opponent seat's turn and the starter just waits.
 func TestOpenGameStarterMovesThenWaits(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	clearOpenGames(t)
@@ -89,28 +90,30 @@ func TestOpenGameStarterMovesThenWaits(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestOpenGameStarterWaitsWhenOpponentMovesFirst checks that when the starter is seated
-// at seat 1 (odd seed), the still-empty seat 0 is to move, so the starter cannot act.
+// TestOpenGameStarterWaitsWhenOpponentMovesFirst checks that when the first-move draw seats
+// the starter at seat 1 (the synthetic opponent won the open draw), the still-empty seat 0 is
+// to move, so the starter cannot act until an opponent fills it.
 func TestOpenGameStarterWaitsWhenOpponentMovesFirst(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	clearOpenGames(t)
 	svc := newGameService()
+	svc.SetFirstMoveEntropy(seatOneFirstMove) // the synthetic opponent wins → the caller sits at seat 1
 	starter := provisionAccount(t)
-	g, _, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(ctx, starter, openParams(1), time.Now().Add(time.Minute))
+	g, _, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(ctx, starter, openParams(1), time.Now().Add(time.Minute), nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("open: %v", err)
 	}
 	if g.ToMove != 0 || g.Seats[0].AccountID != uuid.Nil {
-		t.Fatalf("odd-seed open game: to_move %d seat0 %s, want the empty seat 0 to move", g.ToMove, g.Seats[0].AccountID)
+		t.Fatalf("opponent-won open draw: to_move %d seat0 %s, want the empty seat 0 to move", g.ToMove, g.Seats[0].AccountID)
 	}
 	if _, err := svc.Pass(ctx, g.ID, starter); !errors.Is(err, game.ErrNotYourTurn) {
 		t.Fatalf("starter acting on the empty seat's turn = %v, want ErrNotYourTurn", err)
 	}
 }
 
-// TestOpenGameJoinAfterStarterMoved checks a second human joins an open game even after
-// the starter has already made their first move, landing on the board mid-opening and
-// able to act on their turn.
+// TestOpenGameJoinAfterStarterMoved checks a second human joins an open game even after the
+// starter has already made their first move: the seats were fixed by the draw at open, so the
+// joiner takes the empty seat without disturbing the journal, and can act on their turn.
 func TestOpenGameJoinAfterStarterMoved(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	clearOpenGames(t)
@@ -128,7 +131,7 @@ func TestOpenGameJoinAfterStarterMoved(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	joiner := provisionAccount(t)
-	g2, joined, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(ctx, joiner, openParams(0), time.Now().Add(time.Minute))
+	g2, joined, err := svc.OpenOrJoin(ctx, joiner, openParams(0), time.Now().Add(time.Minute), nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("join: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/robot_friend_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/game"
+)
+
+// TestRobotFriendRequestIsPerGameAndReaped checks that sending a friend request to a
+// disguised-robot opponent is recorded per-game in robot_friend_requests — never in the
+// friendships table or against the shared robot account — that a re-send is idempotent, and
+// that the reaper deletes the row once its game has been finished past the retention window
+// while keeping the row for an active game.
+func TestRobotFriendRequestIsPerGameAndReaped(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	accs := account.NewStore(testDB)
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	robot, err := accs.ProvisionRobot(ctx, "robot-friend-"+uuid.NewString(), "Robbie")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	g, err := newGameService().Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+		Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{human, robot.ID},
+		TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: openingSeed(t),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create game: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := svc.RequestInGame(ctx, human, robot.ID, g.ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("request robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	rfr, err := svc.ListRobotFriendRequests(ctx, human)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list robot friend requests: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(rfr) != 1 || rfr[0].GameID != g.ID || rfr[0].Seat != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("robot friend requests = %v, want one for game %s seat 1", rfr, g.ID)
+	}
+	// The friendships table must stay empty: no outgoing request against the shared robot account.
+	if out, _ := svc.ListOutgoingRequests(ctx, human); len(out) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("friendships outgoing must be empty for a robot request, got %v", out)
+	}
+
+	// A re-send to the same game+seat is idempotent (the UNIQUE constraint collapses it).
+	if err := svc.RequestInGame(ctx, human, robot.ID, g.ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-request robot: %v", err)
+	}
+	if rfr, _ := svc.ListRobotFriendRequests(ctx, human); len(rfr) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("re-request must not duplicate, got %v", rfr)
+	}
+
+	// While the game is active the reaper keeps the row.
+	if n, err := svc.ReapExpiredRobotFriendRequests(ctx); err != nil || n != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("reap on active game = (%d, %v), want (0, nil)", n, err)
+	}
+	if rfr, _ := svc.ListRobotFriendRequests(ctx, human); len(rfr) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("active-game request must survive the reaper, got %v", rfr)
+	}
+
+	// Finish the game well past the retention window: the reaper now deletes the row.
+	finished := time.Now().UTC().Add(-8 * 24 * time.Hour)
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
+		`UPDATE backend.games SET status='finished', finished_at=$1 WHERE game_id=$2`, finished, g.ID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("finish game: %v", err)
+	}
+	if n, err := svc.ReapExpiredRobotFriendRequests(ctx); err != nil || n != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("reap on long-finished game = (%d, %v), want (1, nil)", n, err)
+	}
+	if rfr, _ := svc.ListRobotFriendRequests(ctx, human); len(rfr) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("long-finished request not reaped: %v", rfr)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/robot_test.go

@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ func TestMatchmakerSubstitutesRobotEndToEnd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRobotProactiveNudge checks the robot's lengthening proactive-nudge schedule on the
-// human's turn: nothing before the ~60-90 min first gap, exactly one once it has elapsed.
+// TestRobotProactiveNudge checks the robot's flat proactive-nudge schedule on the human's
+// turn: nothing before the 9 h floor of the 9-12 h gap, exactly one once past its 12 h ceiling.
 func TestRobotProactiveNudge(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	svc := newGameService()
@@ -206,18 +206,20 @@ func TestRobotProactiveNudge(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// A daytime turn start (the robot is awake for every ±3h drift between 07:30 and 12:00). No
-	// nudge before the 60-min floor of the first gap; exactly one once past its 90-min ceiling.
-	start := time.Date(2024, 1, 1, 10, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	// A noon turn start. The drive instants below sit at UTC hours 20:00 and (next day) 12:00,
+	// both in [10:00, 20:00] so the robot is awake for every ±3h sleep drift — the gap, not the
+	// sleep window, decides the outcome. No nudge at 8 h idle (before the 9 h floor); exactly one
+	// at 24 h idle (well past the 12 h ceiling, however the seed drew within 9-12 h).
+	start := time.Date(2024, 1, 1, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 	setTurnStarted(t, g.ID, start)
 
-	robots.Drive(ctx, start.Add(30*time.Minute))
+	robots.Drive(ctx, start.Add(8*time.Hour))
 	if n := countNudges(t, g.ID, robotID); n != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("robot nudges = %d at 30m idle, want 0 (before the first gap)", n)
+		t.Errorf("robot nudges = %d at 8h idle, want 0 (before the 9h floor)", n)
 	}
-	robots.Drive(ctx, start.Add(2*time.Hour))
+	robots.Drive(ctx, start.Add(24*time.Hour))
 	if n := countNudges(t, g.ID, robotID); n != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("robot nudges = %d at 2h idle, want 1 (after the first gap)", n)
+		t.Errorf("robot nudges = %d at 24h idle, want 1 (past the 12h ceiling)", n)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -249,3 +251,124 @@ func playHuman(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, svc *game.Service, gameID, hum
 		t.Fatalf("human pass: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// countMoves returns the number of committed moves in a game's journal.
+func countMoves(t *testing.T, gameID uuid.UUID) int {
+	t.Helper()
+	var n int
+	if err := testDB.QueryRowContext(context.Background(),
+		`SELECT count(*) FROM backend.game_moves WHERE game_id = $1`, gameID).Scan(&n); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("count moves: %v", err)
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+// setLastTwoMoveTimes rewrites the created_at of a game's two most recent journal entries
+// so the endgame think-time anchor (their gap, the human's last-move think time) is a known
+// value, independent of the millisecond spacing of the manufactured passes.
+func setLastTwoMoveTimes(t *testing.T, gameID uuid.UUID, prevAt, lastAt time.Time) {
+	t.Helper()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
+		`UPDATE backend.game_moves SET created_at = $2
+		   WHERE game_id = $1 AND seq = (SELECT max(seq) FROM backend.game_moves WHERE game_id = $1)`,
+		gameID, lastAt); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set last move time: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := testDB.ExecContext(ctx,
+		`UPDATE backend.game_moves SET created_at = $2
+		   WHERE game_id = $1 AND seq = (SELECT max(seq) - 1 FROM backend.game_moves WHERE game_id = $1)`,
+		gameID, prevAt); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set prev move time: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRobotEndgamePassShrinksThinkTime checks the dead-drawn-endgame shrink end to end: when
+// the two most recent moves are both passes, RobotTurns reports EndgamePass with the human's
+// last-move think time (OppLastMove), and the driver answers on the shortened schedule — well
+// before the normal late-game delay — rather than dragging out the decided game. The journal
+// state is manufactured with direct passes so the test isolates the timing mechanism (the
+// SQL anchor and the driver gate) from a full game to an empty bag.
+func TestRobotEndgamePassShrinksThinkTime(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newGameService()
+	robots := newRobotService(t, svc)
+	if err := robots.EnsurePool(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ensure pool: %v", err)
+	}
+	robotID, err := robots.Pick(engine.VariantEnglish)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pick: %v", err)
+	}
+	human := provisionAccount(t)
+	seed := openingSeed(t)
+
+	g, err := svc.Create(ctx, game.CreateParams{
+		Variant: engine.VariantEnglish, Seats: []uuid.UUID{human, robotID},
+		TurnTimeout: 24 * time.Hour, Seed: seed,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %v", err)
+	}
+	const robotSeat = 1
+	store := game.NewStore(testDB)
+
+	turnOf := func(id uuid.UUID) game.RobotTurn {
+		t.Helper()
+		turns, err := store.RobotTurns(ctx, []uuid.UUID{robotID})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("robot turns: %v", err)
+		}
+		for _, rt := range turns {
+			if rt.GameID == id {
+				return rt
+			}
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("no robot turn for game %s", id)
+		return game.RobotTurn{}
+	}
+
+	// One pass so far (the human): not yet a double-pass endgame.
+	if _, err := svc.Pass(ctx, g.ID, human); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("human pass 1: %v", err)
+	}
+	if rt := turnOf(g.ID); rt.EndgamePass {
+		t.Fatalf("EndgamePass after a single pass = true, want false")
+	}
+
+	// Robot then human pass: the two most recent moves are now both passes and it is the
+	// robot's turn — the guaranteed-pass endgame state.
+	if _, err := svc.Pass(ctx, g.ID, robotID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("robot pass: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := svc.Pass(ctx, g.ID, human); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("human pass 2: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, toMove, _, err := svc.Participants(ctx, g.ID); err != nil || toMove != robotSeat {
+		t.Fatalf("after two passes: toMove %d err %v, want robot seat %d", toMove, err, robotSeat)
+	}
+
+	// Anchor the human's last-move think time to 60s and start the robot's turn at daytime.
+	setLastTwoMoveTimes(t, g.ID, daytime.Add(-60*time.Second), daytime)
+	setTurnStarted(t, g.ID, daytime)
+
+	rt := turnOf(g.ID)
+	if !rt.EndgamePass {
+		t.Fatalf("EndgamePass after a double pass = false, want true")
+	}
+	if d := rt.OppLastMove; d < 59*time.Second || d > 61*time.Second {
+		t.Fatalf("OppLastMove = %s, want ~60s", d)
+	}
+
+	// The normal schedule for this move is at least the early band floor (~3.75 min); the
+	// 60s-anchored endgame delay is at most 90s for every seed. Driving at +150s is past the
+	// shrunk delay but well before the normal one, so the robot acts only because of the shrink.
+	before := countMoves(t, g.ID)
+	robots.Drive(ctx, daytime.Add(150*time.Second))
+	if after := countMoves(t, g.ID); after != before+1 {
+		t.Fatalf("robot did not act on the shrunk endgame schedule: moves %d → %d (want +1)", before, after)
+	}
+	if _, toMove, _, err := svc.Participants(ctx, g.ID); err != nil || toMove == robotSeat {
+		t.Fatalf("after the shrunk move: still the robot's turn (toMove %d, err %v)", toMove, err)
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/seat_display_name_test.go

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func TestSeatNameFrozenAfterRename(t *testing.T) {
 
 	starter := provisionAccount(t)
 	if _, err := accounts.UpdateProfile(ctx, starter, account.ProfileUpdate{
-		DisplayName: "Original Name", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC",
+		DisplayName: "Original Name", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"},
 	}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("set name: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestSeatNameFrozenAfterRename(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Rename the account; the snapshot on the already-taken seat must not follow.
 	if _, err := accounts.UpdateProfile(ctx, starter, account.ProfileUpdate{
-		DisplayName: "Renamed Player99", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC",
+		DisplayName: "Renamed Player99", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"},
 	}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("rename: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/social_test.go

@@ -45,6 +45,20 @@ func (c *capturePublisher) notified(user uuid.UUID, sub string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// delivered reports whether an intent of the given top-level kind (e.g. chat_message,
+// nudge) was published to user — used to assert that a blocked sender's message or nudge
+// never reaches the blocker.
+func (c *capturePublisher) delivered(user uuid.UUID, kind string) bool {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	for _, in := range c.intents {
+		if in.UserID == user && in.Kind == kind {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // TestFriendRequestToRobotStaysPending checks a friend request to a robot is accepted as
 // pending rather than blocked: robots no longer block friend requests, so the request
 // just sits unanswered and later expires — mirroring a human who ignores it.
@@ -121,24 +135,60 @@ func TestFriendRequestRefusedByToggleAndBlock(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Toggle: the addressee does not accept friend requests.
 	a, b := provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)
-	if _, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, b, account.ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Player", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", BlockFriendRequests: true}); err != nil {
+	if _, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, b, account.ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Player", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", BlockFriendRequests: true, VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"}}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("set toggle: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := svc.SendFriendRequest(ctx, a, b); !errors.Is(err, social.ErrRequestBlocked) {
 		t.Fatalf("toggle send = %v, want ErrRequestBlocked", err)
 	}
 
-	// Block: the addressee has blocked the requester.
-	c, d := provisionAccount(t), provisionAccount(t)
-	if err := svc.Block(ctx, d, c); err != nil {
+	// Block from the requester's own side: a requester who has blocked the addressee is
+	// refused outright (they are the blocker and aware of it). The reverse direction — the
+	// addressee having blocked the requester — is instead silently suppressed, covered by
+	// TestFriendRequestFromBlockedIsSuppressed.
+	_, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	c, d := seats[0], seats[1]
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, c, d); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := svc.SendFriendRequest(ctx, c, d); !errors.Is(err, social.ErrRequestBlocked) {
-		t.Fatalf("blocked send = %v, want ErrRequestBlocked", err)
+		t.Fatalf("blocker's own request = %v, want ErrRequestBlocked", err)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestBlockSeversFriendship(t *testing.T) {
+// TestFriendRequestFromBlockedIsSuppressed checks the store-but-hide path: when the
+// addressee has blocked the requester, the requester's friend request succeeds silently
+// (no error — they must not notice the block), is stored, but is never delivered to nor
+// surfaced for the blocker.
+func TestFriendRequestFromBlockedIsSuppressed(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	svc := newSocialService()
+	pub := &capturePublisher{}
+	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
+	_, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
+	blocker, blocked := seats[0], seats[1]
+	if err := svc.Block(ctx, blocker, blocked); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := svc.SendFriendRequest(ctx, blocked, blocker); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("suppressed request = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+	if pub.notified(blocker, notify.NotifyFriendRequest) {
+		t.Error("blocker must not be notified of a suppressed request")
+	}
+	if got, _ := svc.ListIncomingRequests(ctx, blocker); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("blocker incoming = %v, want none (suppressed)", got)
+	}
+	// The blocked user sees an ordinary outgoing request — no leak of the block.
+	if got, _ := svc.ListOutgoingRequests(ctx, blocked); len(got) != 1 || got[0] != blocker {
+		t.Errorf("blocked outgoing = %v, want [blocker]", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestBlockKeepsFriendshipHiddenFromBlocker checks a block overrides but does not delete a
+// friendship: the blocker stops seeing the blocked friend, the blocked user's own list is
+// unchanged (so they never notice), and an unblock cleanly restores the friendship.
+func TestBlockKeepsFriendshipHiddenFromBlocker(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	svc := newSocialService()
 	_, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2)
@@ -153,7 +203,16 @@ func TestBlockSeversFriendship(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("block: %v", err)
 	}
 	if friends, _ := svc.ListFriends(ctx, a); len(friends) != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("friendship must be severed by a block, got %v", friends)
+		t.Errorf("blocker's friend list = %v, want the blocked friend hidden", friends)
+	}
+	if friends, _ := svc.ListFriends(ctx, b); len(friends) != 1 || friends[0] != a {
+		t.Errorf("blocked user's friend list = %v, want [blocker] unchanged", friends)
+	}
+	if err := svc.Unblock(ctx, a, b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unblock: %v", err)
+	}
+	if friends, _ := svc.ListFriends(ctx, a); len(friends) != 1 || friends[0] != b {
+		t.Errorf("after unblock, blocker's friend list = %v, want [b] restored", friends)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -294,7 +353,7 @@ func TestChatPostListAndBlocks(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := svc.PostMessage(ctx, other, seats2[0], "hi", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("post 2: %v", err)
 	}
-	if _, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, seats2[1], account.ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Player", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", BlockChat: true}); err != nil {
+	if _, err := store.UpdateProfile(ctx, seats2[1], account.ProfileUpdate{DisplayName: "Player", PreferredLanguage: "en", TimeZone: "UTC", BlockChat: true, VariantPreferences: []string{"erudit_ru"}}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("set block_chat: %v", err)
 	}
 	if msgs, _ := svc.Messages(ctx, other, seats2[1]); len(msgs) != 0 {
@@ -529,32 +588,6 @@ func TestRespondPublishesToRequester(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestNudgeRoutedByGameLanguage checks a nudge's out-of-app push carries the game's language, so
-// it is delivered by the game's bot rather than the recipient's last-login bot.
-func TestNudgeRoutedByGameLanguage(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	svc := newSocialService()
-	pub := &capturePublisher{}
-	svc.SetNotifier(pub)
-
-	gameID, seats := newGameWithSeats(t, 2) // an English game; seat 0 is to move
-	if _, err := svc.Nudge(ctx, gameID, seats[1]); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("nudge: %v", err)
-	}
-	found := false
-	for _, in := range pub.intents {
-		if in.Kind == notify.KindNudge {
-			found = true
-			if in.Language != "en" {
-				t.Errorf("nudge language = %q, want en (the game's language)", in.Language)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	if !found {
-		t.Fatal("no nudge intent published")
-	}
-}
-
 // TestAdminListMessages checks the admin moderation list: real messages only
 // (nudges excluded), the game / sender pins, the sender glob masks, and the source label.
 func TestAdminListMessages(t *testing.T) {

backend/internal/inttest/suspension_gate_test.go

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func TestSuspensionGate(t *testing.T) {
 		Accounts: accounts,
 	})
 
-	acc, err := accounts.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "ru", "", "Blocked")
+	acc, _, err := accounts.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "ru", "", "Blocked")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/userlist_test.go

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func TestUserListFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	st := account.NewStore(testDB)
 	uniq := uuid.NewString()
 
-	human, err := st.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uniq, "en", "", "Zzqxhuman")
+	human, _, err := st.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uniq, "en", "", "Zzqxhuman")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision human: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/variant_preference_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package inttest
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/server"
+)
+
+// TestVariantPreferenceGate covers the New Game gate: a player may start a quick game
+// or create a friend invitation only in a variant they have enabled in their profile
+// (a fresh account defaults to Erudit only), and any other variant is refused with 400.
+// The complementary case — an invited friend accepting an invitation in a variant they
+// have NOT enabled — is exercised by TestGameLimitGate, where a default-Erudit human
+// accepts an English invitation over HTTP.
+func TestVariantPreferenceGate(t *testing.T) {
+	clearOpenGames(t)
+	srv := server.New(":0", server.Deps{
+		Logger:      zaptest.NewLogger(t),
+		DB:          testDB,
+		Accounts:    account.NewStore(testDB),
+		Games:       newGameService(),
+		Matchmaker:  newMatchmaker(t, newRobotService(t, newGameService()), time.Minute, 0),
+		Invitations: newInvitationService(),
+	})
+
+	human := provisionAccount(t) // default preferences: erudit_ru only
+	opp := provisionAccount(t)
+
+	// A variant outside the player's preferences is refused on both create paths.
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/lobby/enqueue", human, `{"variant":"scrabble_en"}`); rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue non-preferred variant = %d (%s), want 400", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	invBody := fmt.Sprintf(`{"variant":"scrabble_en","invitee_ids":[%q]}`, opp.String())
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/invitations", human, invBody); rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("invitation non-preferred variant = %d (%s), want 400", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+
+	// The default-enabled variant (Erudit) is allowed: the quick enqueue opens a game.
+	if rec := userPost(t, srv, "/api/v1/user/lobby/enqueue", human, `{"variant":"erudit_ru"}`); rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue preferred variant = %d (%s), want 200", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	clearOpenGames(t)
+}

backend/internal/lobby/invitations.go

@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ func (svc *InvitationService) emitInvitationUpdate(ctx context.Context, inv Invi
 	}
 	intents := make([]notify.Intent, 0, len(recipients))
 	for _, id := range recipients {
+		// An invitee who has blocked the inviter never sees this invitation, so they must not
+		// receive its updates either (an update would otherwise re-add it to their lobby). The
+		// inviter always gets updates; on a lookup error suppress rather than risk a leak.
+		if id != inv.InviterID {
+			if blk, err := svc.blocker.Blocks(ctx, id, inv.InviterID); err != nil || blk {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
 		intents = append(intents, notify.NotificationInvitationUpdate(id, summary))
 	}
 	svc.pub.Publish(intents...)
@@ -211,6 +219,11 @@ func (svc *InvitationService) CreateInvitation(ctx context.Context, inviterID uu
 		return Invitation{}, fmt.Errorf("%w: turn timeout %s not allowed", ErrInvalidInvitation, settings.TurnTimeout)
 	}
 	seen := map[uuid.UUID]bool{inviterID: true}
+	// suppressed collects invitees who have blocked the inviter: the invitation is still
+	// created and persisted for them, but they are never notified and never see it (their
+	// friendship with the inviter survived the block, so they can still appear in the
+	// inviter's picker — they must not learn of the block).
+	suppressed := make(map[uuid.UUID]bool)
 	for _, id := range inviteeIDs {
 		if seen[id] {
 			return Invitation{}, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s invited twice or is the inviter", ErrInvalidInvitation, id)
@@ -222,13 +235,22 @@ func (svc *InvitationService) CreateInvitation(ctx context.Context, inviterID uu
 			}
 			return Invitation{}, err
 		}
-		blocked, err := svc.blocker.IsBlocked(ctx, inviterID, id)
+		// A block the inviter placed refuses the invite (the inviter is aware; the picker hides
+		// the invitee anyway). A block the invitee placed on the inviter is instead suppressed.
+		iBlock, err := svc.blocker.Blocks(ctx, inviterID, id)
 		if err != nil {
 			return Invitation{}, err
 		}
-		if blocked {
+		if iBlock {
 			return Invitation{}, ErrInvitationBlocked
 		}
+		theyBlock, err := svc.blocker.Blocks(ctx, id, inviterID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Invitation{}, err
+		}
+		if theyBlock {
+			suppressed[id] = true
+		}
 	}
 
 	id, err := uuid.NewV7()
@@ -253,7 +275,18 @@ func (svc *InvitationService) CreateInvitation(ctx context.Context, inviterID uu
 	if err != nil {
 		return Invitation{}, err
 	}
-	svc.emitInvitation(ctx, inv, inviteeIDs)
+	// Notify every invitee except those who have blocked the inviter (their copy stays
+	// stored but unseen — the store-but-hide that keeps the block invisible).
+	notifyIDs := inviteeIDs
+	if len(suppressed) > 0 {
+		notifyIDs = make([]uuid.UUID, 0, len(inviteeIDs))
+		for _, id := range inviteeIDs {
+			if !suppressed[id] {
+				notifyIDs = append(notifyIDs, id)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	svc.emitInvitation(ctx, inv, notifyIDs)
 	return inv, nil
 }
 
@@ -347,6 +380,17 @@ func (svc *InvitationService) ListInvitations(ctx context.Context, accountID uui
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		// Hide an invitation whose inviter the viewer has blocked: it stays stored but must
+		// never surface to the blocker. The viewer's own invitations (as inviter) are unaffected.
+		if inv.InviterID != accountID {
+			blocked, err := svc.blocker.Blocks(ctx, accountID, inv.InviterID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			if blocked {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
 		out = append(out, inv)
 	}
 	return out, nil

backend/internal/lobby/lobby.go

@@ -38,11 +38,15 @@ type RobotProvider interface {
 	PickNamed(variant engine.Variant) (uuid.UUID, string, error)
 }
 
-// Blocker reports whether two accounts have a block between them (either
-// direction). social.Service satisfies it; the lobby uses it to refuse
-// invitations between blocked accounts.
+// Blocker exposes the per-user block graph the lobby needs. social.Service satisfies it.
+// Invitations consult the exact direction (Blocks) so the inviter's block refuses while a
+// block the invitee placed on the inviter is silently suppressed; auto-match consults
+// BlockedWith so a block either way keeps the pair out of the same anonymous game.
 type Blocker interface {
-	IsBlocked(ctx context.Context, a, b uuid.UUID) (bool, error)
+	// Blocks reports whether blocker has blocked blocked (exact direction).
+	Blocks(ctx context.Context, blocker, blocked uuid.UUID) (bool, error)
+	// BlockedWith returns every account in a block with accountID in either direction.
+	BlockedWith(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) ([]uuid.UUID, error)
 }
 
 // Auto-match defaults: a casual two-player game on the longest move clock with one

backend/internal/lobby/matchmaker.go

@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ import (
 // reading a player's view to enrich the opponent_joined event. game.Service satisfies
 // it.
 type GameMatcher interface {
-	OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, params game.CreateParams, openDeadline time.Time) (game.Game, bool, error)
+	// OpenOrJoin joins the caller into another waiting player's open game or opens a fresh
+	// one; exclude lists account IDs whose open game must never be joined (the caller's
+	// per-user block set), so a block keeps the pair out of the same anonymous game.
+	OpenOrJoin(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, params game.CreateParams, openDeadline time.Time, exclude []uuid.UUID) (game.Game, bool, error)
 	AttachRobot(ctx context.Context, gameID, robotID uuid.UUID, displayName string) (game.Game, bool, error)
 	ExpiredOpen(ctx context.Context, now time.Time) ([]game.OpenGame, error)
 	InitialState(ctx context.Context, gameID, accountID uuid.UUID) (notify.PlayerState, error)
@@ -35,8 +38,9 @@ type GameMatcher interface {
 // Matchmaker holds only the wait policy and the live-event publisher, and is safe for
 // concurrent use.
 //
-// Auto-match is anonymous, so it does not consult per-user blocks (those govern
-// friends, chat and invitations between known players).
+// Auto-match is anonymous, but it still consults per-user blocks: a player is never
+// paired into a game whose waiting opponent they have blocked, or who has blocked them
+// (either direction), so a block keeps two players apart everywhere.
 type Matchmaker struct {
 	games   GameMatcher
 	robots  RobotProvider
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ type Matchmaker struct {
 	jitter  time.Duration
 	clock   func() time.Time
 	pub     notify.Publisher
+	blocker Blocker
 	log     *zap.Logger
 }
 
@@ -75,6 +80,16 @@ func (m *Matchmaker) SetNotifier(p notify.Publisher) {
 	}
 }
 
+// SetBlocker installs the per-user block source used to keep auto-match from pairing a
+// player with someone they have a block with (either direction). It must be called
+// during startup wiring; the default is no blocker, in which case auto-match pairs
+// anonymously (no block exclusion).
+func (m *Matchmaker) SetBlocker(b Blocker) {
+	if b != nil {
+		m.blocker = b
+	}
+}
+
 // EnqueueResult is the outcome of an auto-match enqueue: the game the caller now plays
 // in, and whether it already had an opponent (they joined a waiting game) rather than
 // being freshly opened and still awaiting one.
@@ -85,11 +100,22 @@ type EnqueueResult struct {
 
 // Enqueue resolves an auto-match request for accountID under variant and the per-turn
 // word rule (multipleWords) into the game they enter immediately — a freshly opened
-// game awaiting an opponent, the caller's own still-open game (a re-enqueue is
-// idempotent), or another player's open game they just joined. When the caller joins
-// an existing game, opponent_joined is pushed to that game's waiting starter.
+// game awaiting an opponent, or another player's open game they just joined. A
+// re-enqueue while already waiting opens another game rather than returning the
+// caller's own. When the caller joins an existing game, opponent_joined is pushed to
+// that game's waiting starter.
 func (m *Matchmaker) Enqueue(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, variant engine.Variant, multipleWords bool) (EnqueueResult, error) {
-	g, joined, err := m.games.OpenOrJoin(ctx, accountID, autoMatchParams(variant, multipleWords), m.openDeadline())
+	// Exclude every account the caller has a block with (either direction) from the
+	// candidate open games, so auto-match never pairs a blocked pair into one game.
+	var exclude []uuid.UUID
+	if m.blocker != nil {
+		var err error
+		exclude, err = m.blocker.BlockedWith(ctx, accountID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return EnqueueResult{}, err
+		}
+	}
+	g, joined, err := m.games.OpenOrJoin(ctx, accountID, autoMatchParams(variant, multipleWords), m.openDeadline(), exclude)
 	if err != nil {
 		return EnqueueResult{}, err
 	}
@@ -180,7 +206,6 @@ func (m *Matchmaker) announceOpponent(ctx context.Context, g game.Game, joinerID
 		return
 	}
 	intent := notify.OpponentJoined(starter, g.ID, state)
-	intent.Language = g.Variant.Language()
 	m.pub.Publish(intent)
 }
 

backend/internal/lobby/matchmaker_test.go

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ type stubMatcher struct {
 	openErr      error
 	openCalls    int
 	lastDeadline time.Time
+	lastExclude  []uuid.UUID
 
 	expired []game.OpenGame
 
@@ -39,9 +40,10 @@ type stubMatcher struct {
 	createParams game.CreateParams
 }
 
-func (s *stubMatcher) OpenOrJoin(_ context.Context, _ uuid.UUID, _ game.CreateParams, deadline time.Time) (game.Game, bool, error) {
+func (s *stubMatcher) OpenOrJoin(_ context.Context, _ uuid.UUID, _ game.CreateParams, deadline time.Time, exclude []uuid.UUID) (game.Game, bool, error) {
 	s.openCalls++
 	s.lastDeadline = deadline
+	s.lastExclude = exclude
 	return s.openGame, s.openJoined, s.openErr
 }
 
@@ -95,6 +97,33 @@ type capturePub struct{ intents []notify.Intent }
 
 func (c *capturePub) Publish(intents ...notify.Intent) { c.intents = append(c.intents, intents...) }
 
+// fakeBlocker is a Blocker returning a canned both-direction block set.
+type fakeBlocker struct {
+	with []uuid.UUID
+	err  error
+}
+
+func (f *fakeBlocker) Blocks(context.Context, uuid.UUID, uuid.UUID) (bool, error) { return false, nil }
+func (f *fakeBlocker) BlockedWith(context.Context, uuid.UUID) ([]uuid.UUID, error) {
+	return f.with, f.err
+}
+
+// TestEnqueueExcludesBlockedStarters checks the matchmaker passes the caller's block set
+// (both directions) to OpenOrJoin as the exclusion list, so auto-match never joins a game
+// whose waiting player has a block with the caller.
+func TestEnqueueExcludesBlockedStarters(t *testing.T) {
+	caller, blocked := uuid.New(), uuid.New()
+	m := &stubMatcher{openGame: twoSeatGame(caller, uuid.Nil)}
+	mm := NewMatchmaker(m, &fakeRobots{id: uuid.New()}, time.Minute, time.Minute, zap.NewNop())
+	mm.SetBlocker(&fakeBlocker{with: []uuid.UUID{blocked}})
+	if _, err := mm.Enqueue(context.Background(), caller, engine.VariantEnglish, true); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("enqueue: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !slices.Contains(m.lastExclude, blocked) {
+		t.Fatalf("OpenOrJoin exclude = %v, want it to contain the blocked id %s", m.lastExclude, blocked)
+	}
+}
+
 // twoSeatGame is a two-player game seating starter at seat 0 and opponent at seat 1
 // (uuid.Nil for a still-empty opponent seat).
 func twoSeatGame(starter, opponent uuid.UUID) game.Game {

backend/internal/notify/encode.go

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ func buildStateView(b *flatbuffers.Builder, s PlayerState) flatbuffers.UOffsetT
 		Rack:           s.Rack,
 		BagLen:         s.BagLen,
 		HintsRemaining: s.HintsRemaining,
+		WalletBalance:  s.WalletBalance,
 		Alphabet:       alphabet,
 	})
 }

backend/internal/notify/events.go

@@ -216,6 +216,16 @@ func BannerChanged(userID uuid.UUID) Intent {
 	return Notification(userID, NotifyBanner)
 }
 
+// ChatAccessChanged signals that userID's eligibility to write in the moderated
+// Telegram discussion chat may have changed (an admin block/unblock, a chat_muted
+// grant/revoke, or a temporary block lapsing). It carries no payload: the gateway
+// resolves the user's Telegram identity and current eligibility and pushes the
+// resulting chat-gate command to the bot. Unlike the lobby notifications it is an
+// infra signal — a distinct top-level kind, never an out-of-app rendered message.
+func ChatAccessChanged(userID uuid.UUID) Intent {
+	return Intent{UserID: userID, Kind: KindChatAccessChanged, EventID: eventID()}
+}
+
 // eventID returns a best-effort correlation id for one emitted event.
 func eventID() string {
 	if id, err := uuid.NewV7(); err == nil {

backend/internal/notify/notify.go

@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ const (
 	// KindGameOver announces a finished game to each seated player, driving the
 	// out-of-app "game over" push.
 	KindGameOver = "game_over"
+	// KindChatAccessChanged signals that a player's eligibility to write in the
+	// moderated Telegram discussion chat may have changed (an admin block or unblock,
+	// a chat_muted grant or revoke, or a temporary block lapsing). It carries no
+	// payload and is never fanned out to in-app clients: the gateway consumes it to
+	// resolve the player's Telegram identity and current eligibility and push the
+	// resulting chat-gate command to the bot.
+	KindChatAccessChanged = "chat_access_changed"
 )
 
 // Notification sub-kinds carried in a KindNotification event payload; the client
@@ -62,6 +69,16 @@ const (
 	// it re-fetches profile.get to show or hide the banner. It carries no payload (the
 	// banner set rides the profile response). In-app only.
 	NotifyBanner = "banner"
+	// NotifyUserBlocked confirms to the blocker that a per-user block took effect,
+	// carrying the blocked account, so every one of the blocker's sessions updates the
+	// in-game block/add-friend controls and the struck name in place. It is delivered
+	// only to the blocker — never to the blocked user, who must not learn of the block —
+	// and is in-app only (no out-of-app push: blocking is the viewer's own action).
+	NotifyUserBlocked = "user_blocked"
+	// NotifyUserUnblocked confirms an unblock to the (former) blocker, carrying the
+	// unblocked account, so their open game screens restore the controls and un-strike
+	// the name in place. Like NotifyUserBlocked it reaches only the actor and is in-app only.
+	NotifyUserUnblocked = "user_unblocked"
 )
 
 // Intent is one live event destined for a single user. Payload is the
@@ -72,11 +89,6 @@ type Intent struct {
 	Kind    string
 	Payload []byte
 	EventID string
-	// Language routes an out-of-app push to a specific per-language bot: for a
-	// game event it is the game's language ("en"/"ru"), so the notification comes from the
-	// game's bot rather than the recipient's last-login bot. Empty falls back to the
-	// recipient's service language at the gateway.
-	Language string
 }
 
 // Publisher accepts live-event intents. Implementations must be safe for

backend/internal/notify/payload.go

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ type PlayerState struct {
 	Rack           []int
 	BagLen         int
 	HintsRemaining int
+	WalletBalance  int
 	Alphabet       []AlphabetLetter
 }
 

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/account_best_move.go

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+//
+// Code generated by go-jet DO NOT EDIT.
+//
+// WARNING: Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior
+// and will be lost if the code is regenerated
+//
+
+package model
+
+import (
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type AccountBestMove struct {
+	AccountID uuid.UUID `sql:"primary_key"`
+	Variant   string    `sql:"primary_key"`
+	Score     int32
+	Tiles     string
+	UpdatedAt time.Time
+}

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/account_stats.go

@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@ type AccountStats struct {
 	MaxGamePoints int32
 	MaxWordPoints int32
 	UpdatedAt     time.Time
+	Moves         int32
+	HintsUsed     int32
 }

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/accounts.go

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package model
 
 import (
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/lib/pq"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -29,6 +30,6 @@ type Accounts struct {
 	PaidAccount            bool
 	MergedInto             *uuid.UUID
 	MergedAt               *time.Time
-	ServiceLanguage        *string
 	FlaggedHighRateAt      *time.Time
+	VariantPreferences     pq.StringArray
 }

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/chat_messages.go

@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 type ChatMessages struct {
-	MessageID uuid.UUID `sql:"primary_key"`
-	GameID    uuid.UUID
-	SenderID  uuid.UUID
-	Kind      string
-	Body      string
-	SenderIP  *string
-	CreatedAt time.Time
+	MessageID   uuid.UUID `sql:"primary_key"`
+	GameID      uuid.UUID
+	SenderID    uuid.UUID
+	Kind        string
+	Body        string
+	SenderIP    *string
+	CreatedAt   time.Time
+	UnreadSeats int16
 }

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/feedback_messages.go

@@ -20,12 +20,11 @@ type FeedbackMessages struct {
 	AttachmentName *string
 	SenderIP       *string
 	Channel        string
-	Lang           *string
-	ChannelLang    *string
 	ReadAt         *time.Time
 	ArchivedAt     *time.Time
 	ReplyBody      *string
 	RepliedAt      *time.Time
 	ReplyReadAt    *time.Time
 	CreatedAt      time.Time
+	Lang           *string
 }

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/model/game_setup_draws.go

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+//
+// Code generated by go-jet DO NOT EDIT.
+//
+// WARNING: Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior
+// and will be lost if the code is regenerated
+//
+
+package model
+
+import (
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type GameSetupDraws struct {
+	GameID    uuid.UUID `sql:"primary_key"`
+	Round     int16     `sql:"primary_key"`
+	PickNo    int16     `sql:"primary_key"`
+	AccountID *uuid.UUID
+	Letter    string
+	IsBlank   bool
+	DrawRank  int16
+	CreatedAt time.Time
+}

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/account_best_move.go

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+//
+// Code generated by go-jet DO NOT EDIT.
+//
+// WARNING: Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior
+// and will be lost if the code is regenerated
+//
+
+package table
+
+import (
+	"github.com/go-jet/jet/v2/postgres"
+)
+
+var AccountBestMove = newAccountBestMoveTable("backend", "account_best_move", "")
+
+type accountBestMoveTable struct {
+	postgres.Table
+
+	// Columns
+	AccountID postgres.ColumnString
+	Variant   postgres.ColumnString
+	Score     postgres.ColumnInteger
+	Tiles     postgres.ColumnString
+	UpdatedAt postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+
+	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
+	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
+	DefaultColumns postgres.ColumnList
+}
+
+type AccountBestMoveTable struct {
+	accountBestMoveTable
+
+	EXCLUDED accountBestMoveTable
+}
+
+// AS creates new AccountBestMoveTable with assigned alias
+func (a AccountBestMoveTable) AS(alias string) *AccountBestMoveTable {
+	return newAccountBestMoveTable(a.SchemaName(), a.TableName(), alias)
+}
+
+// Schema creates new AccountBestMoveTable with assigned schema name
+func (a AccountBestMoveTable) FromSchema(schemaName string) *AccountBestMoveTable {
+	return newAccountBestMoveTable(schemaName, a.TableName(), a.Alias())
+}
+
+// WithPrefix creates new AccountBestMoveTable with assigned table prefix
+func (a AccountBestMoveTable) WithPrefix(prefix string) *AccountBestMoveTable {
+	return newAccountBestMoveTable(a.SchemaName(), prefix+a.TableName(), a.TableName())
+}
+
+// WithSuffix creates new AccountBestMoveTable with assigned table suffix
+func (a AccountBestMoveTable) WithSuffix(suffix string) *AccountBestMoveTable {
+	return newAccountBestMoveTable(a.SchemaName(), a.TableName()+suffix, a.TableName())
+}
+
+func newAccountBestMoveTable(schemaName, tableName, alias string) *AccountBestMoveTable {
+	return &AccountBestMoveTable{
+		accountBestMoveTable: newAccountBestMoveTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias),
+		EXCLUDED:             newAccountBestMoveTableImpl("", "excluded", ""),
+	}
+}
+
+func newAccountBestMoveTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) accountBestMoveTable {
+	var (
+		AccountIDColumn = postgres.StringColumn("account_id")
+		VariantColumn   = postgres.StringColumn("variant")
+		ScoreColumn     = postgres.IntegerColumn("score")
+		TilesColumn     = postgres.StringColumn("tiles")
+		UpdatedAtColumn = postgres.TimestampzColumn("updated_at")
+		allColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, VariantColumn, ScoreColumn, TilesColumn, UpdatedAtColumn}
+		mutableColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{ScoreColumn, TilesColumn, UpdatedAtColumn}
+		defaultColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{UpdatedAtColumn}
+	)
+
+	return accountBestMoveTable{
+		Table: postgres.NewTable(schemaName, tableName, alias, allColumns...),
+
+		//Columns
+		AccountID: AccountIDColumn,
+		Variant:   VariantColumn,
+		Score:     ScoreColumn,
+		Tiles:     TilesColumn,
+		UpdatedAt: UpdatedAtColumn,
+
+		AllColumns:     allColumns,
+		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,
+		DefaultColumns: defaultColumns,
+	}
+}

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/account_stats.go

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ type accountStatsTable struct {
 	MaxGamePoints postgres.ColumnInteger
 	MaxWordPoints postgres.ColumnInteger
 	UpdatedAt     postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+	Moves         postgres.ColumnInteger
+	HintsUsed     postgres.ColumnInteger
 
 	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
 	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
@@ -72,9 +74,11 @@ func newAccountStatsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) accountStatsT
 		MaxGamePointsColumn = postgres.IntegerColumn("max_game_points")
 		MaxWordPointsColumn = postgres.IntegerColumn("max_word_points")
 		UpdatedAtColumn     = postgres.TimestampzColumn("updated_at")
-		allColumns          = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn}
-		mutableColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn}
-		defaultColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn}
+		MovesColumn         = postgres.IntegerColumn("moves")
+		HintsUsedColumn     = postgres.IntegerColumn("hints_used")
+		allColumns          = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, MovesColumn, HintsUsedColumn}
+		mutableColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, MovesColumn, HintsUsedColumn}
+		defaultColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{WinsColumn, LossesColumn, DrawsColumn, MaxGamePointsColumn, MaxWordPointsColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, MovesColumn, HintsUsedColumn}
 	)
 
 	return accountStatsTable{
@@ -88,6 +92,8 @@ func newAccountStatsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) accountStatsT
 		MaxGamePoints: MaxGamePointsColumn,
 		MaxWordPoints: MaxWordPointsColumn,
 		UpdatedAt:     UpdatedAtColumn,
+		Moves:         MovesColumn,
+		HintsUsed:     HintsUsedColumn,
 
 		AllColumns:     allColumns,
 		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/accounts.go

@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ type accountsTable struct {
 	PaidAccount            postgres.ColumnBool
 	MergedInto             postgres.ColumnString
 	MergedAt               postgres.ColumnTimestampz
-	ServiceLanguage        postgres.ColumnString
 	FlaggedHighRateAt      postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+	VariantPreferences     postgres.ColumnStringArray
 
 	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
 	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ func newAccountsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) accountsTable {
 		PaidAccountColumn            = postgres.BoolColumn("paid_account")
 		MergedIntoColumn             = postgres.StringColumn("merged_into")
 		MergedAtColumn               = postgres.TimestampzColumn("merged_at")
-		ServiceLanguageColumn        = postgres.StringColumn("service_language")
 		FlaggedHighRateAtColumn      = postgres.TimestampzColumn("flagged_high_rate_at")
-		allColumns                   = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn, MergedIntoColumn, MergedAtColumn, ServiceLanguageColumn, FlaggedHighRateAtColumn}
-		mutableColumns               = postgres.ColumnList{DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn, MergedIntoColumn, MergedAtColumn, ServiceLanguageColumn, FlaggedHighRateAtColumn}
-		defaultColumns               = postgres.ColumnList{DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn}
+		VariantPreferencesColumn     = postgres.StringArrayColumn("variant_preferences")
+		allColumns                   = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn, MergedIntoColumn, MergedAtColumn, FlaggedHighRateAtColumn, VariantPreferencesColumn}
+		mutableColumns               = postgres.ColumnList{DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn, MergedIntoColumn, MergedAtColumn, FlaggedHighRateAtColumn, VariantPreferencesColumn}
+		defaultColumns               = postgres.ColumnList{DisplayNameColumn, PreferredLanguageColumn, TimeZoneColumn, BlockChatColumn, BlockFriendRequestsColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UpdatedAtColumn, AwayStartColumn, AwayEndColumn, HintBalanceColumn, IsGuestColumn, NotificationsInAppOnlyColumn, PaidAccountColumn, VariantPreferencesColumn}
 	)
 
 	return accountsTable{
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ func newAccountsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) accountsTable {
 		PaidAccount:            PaidAccountColumn,
 		MergedInto:             MergedIntoColumn,
 		MergedAt:               MergedAtColumn,
-		ServiceLanguage:        ServiceLanguageColumn,
 		FlaggedHighRateAt:      FlaggedHighRateAtColumn,
+		VariantPreferences:     VariantPreferencesColumn,
 
 		AllColumns:     allColumns,
 		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/chat_messages.go

@@ -17,13 +17,14 @@ type chatMessagesTable struct {
 	postgres.Table
 
 	// Columns
-	MessageID postgres.ColumnString
-	GameID    postgres.ColumnString
-	SenderID  postgres.ColumnString
-	Kind      postgres.ColumnString
-	Body      postgres.ColumnString
-	SenderIP  postgres.ColumnString
-	CreatedAt postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+	MessageID   postgres.ColumnString
+	GameID      postgres.ColumnString
+	SenderID    postgres.ColumnString
+	Kind        postgres.ColumnString
+	Body        postgres.ColumnString
+	SenderIP    postgres.ColumnString
+	CreatedAt   postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+	UnreadSeats postgres.ColumnInteger
 
 	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
 	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
@@ -65,29 +66,31 @@ func newChatMessagesTable(schemaName, tableName, alias string) *ChatMessagesTabl
 
 func newChatMessagesTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) chatMessagesTable {
 	var (
-		MessageIDColumn = postgres.StringColumn("message_id")
-		GameIDColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("game_id")
-		SenderIDColumn  = postgres.StringColumn("sender_id")
-		KindColumn      = postgres.StringColumn("kind")
-		BodyColumn      = postgres.StringColumn("body")
-		SenderIPColumn  = postgres.StringColumn("sender_ip")
-		CreatedAtColumn = postgres.TimestampzColumn("created_at")
-		allColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{MessageIDColumn, GameIDColumn, SenderIDColumn, KindColumn, BodyColumn, SenderIPColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
-		mutableColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{GameIDColumn, SenderIDColumn, KindColumn, BodyColumn, SenderIPColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
-		defaultColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{KindColumn, BodyColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
+		MessageIDColumn   = postgres.StringColumn("message_id")
+		GameIDColumn      = postgres.StringColumn("game_id")
+		SenderIDColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("sender_id")
+		KindColumn        = postgres.StringColumn("kind")
+		BodyColumn        = postgres.StringColumn("body")
+		SenderIPColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("sender_ip")
+		CreatedAtColumn   = postgres.TimestampzColumn("created_at")
+		UnreadSeatsColumn = postgres.IntegerColumn("unread_seats")
+		allColumns        = postgres.ColumnList{MessageIDColumn, GameIDColumn, SenderIDColumn, KindColumn, BodyColumn, SenderIPColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UnreadSeatsColumn}
+		mutableColumns    = postgres.ColumnList{GameIDColumn, SenderIDColumn, KindColumn, BodyColumn, SenderIPColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UnreadSeatsColumn}
+		defaultColumns    = postgres.ColumnList{KindColumn, BodyColumn, CreatedAtColumn, UnreadSeatsColumn}
 	)
 
 	return chatMessagesTable{
 		Table: postgres.NewTable(schemaName, tableName, alias, allColumns...),
 
 		//Columns
-		MessageID: MessageIDColumn,
-		GameID:    GameIDColumn,
-		SenderID:  SenderIDColumn,
-		Kind:      KindColumn,
-		Body:      BodyColumn,
-		SenderIP:  SenderIPColumn,
-		CreatedAt: CreatedAtColumn,
+		MessageID:   MessageIDColumn,
+		GameID:      GameIDColumn,
+		SenderID:    SenderIDColumn,
+		Kind:        KindColumn,
+		Body:        BodyColumn,
+		SenderIP:    SenderIPColumn,
+		CreatedAt:   CreatedAtColumn,
+		UnreadSeats: UnreadSeatsColumn,
 
 		AllColumns:     allColumns,
 		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/feedback_messages.go

@@ -24,14 +24,13 @@ type feedbackMessagesTable struct {
 	AttachmentName postgres.ColumnString
 	SenderIP       postgres.ColumnString
 	Channel        postgres.ColumnString
-	Lang           postgres.ColumnString
-	ChannelLang    postgres.ColumnString
 	ReadAt         postgres.ColumnTimestampz
 	ArchivedAt     postgres.ColumnTimestampz
 	ReplyBody      postgres.ColumnString
 	RepliedAt      postgres.ColumnTimestampz
 	ReplyReadAt    postgres.ColumnTimestampz
 	CreatedAt      postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+	Lang           postgres.ColumnString
 
 	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
 	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
@@ -80,16 +79,15 @@ func newFeedbackMessagesTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) feedbackM
 		AttachmentNameColumn = postgres.StringColumn("attachment_name")
 		SenderIPColumn       = postgres.StringColumn("sender_ip")
 		ChannelColumn        = postgres.StringColumn("channel")
-		LangColumn           = postgres.StringColumn("lang")
-		ChannelLangColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("channel_lang")
 		ReadAtColumn         = postgres.TimestampzColumn("read_at")
 		ArchivedAtColumn     = postgres.TimestampzColumn("archived_at")
 		ReplyBodyColumn      = postgres.StringColumn("reply_body")
 		RepliedAtColumn      = postgres.TimestampzColumn("replied_at")
 		ReplyReadAtColumn    = postgres.TimestampzColumn("reply_read_at")
 		CreatedAtColumn      = postgres.TimestampzColumn("created_at")
-		allColumns           = postgres.ColumnList{MessageIDColumn, AccountIDColumn, BodyColumn, AttachmentColumn, AttachmentNameColumn, SenderIPColumn, ChannelColumn, LangColumn, ChannelLangColumn, ReadAtColumn, ArchivedAtColumn, ReplyBodyColumn, RepliedAtColumn, ReplyReadAtColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
-		mutableColumns       = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, BodyColumn, AttachmentColumn, AttachmentNameColumn, SenderIPColumn, ChannelColumn, LangColumn, ChannelLangColumn, ReadAtColumn, ArchivedAtColumn, ReplyBodyColumn, RepliedAtColumn, ReplyReadAtColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
+		LangColumn           = postgres.StringColumn("lang")
+		allColumns           = postgres.ColumnList{MessageIDColumn, AccountIDColumn, BodyColumn, AttachmentColumn, AttachmentNameColumn, SenderIPColumn, ChannelColumn, ReadAtColumn, ArchivedAtColumn, ReplyBodyColumn, RepliedAtColumn, ReplyReadAtColumn, CreatedAtColumn, LangColumn}
+		mutableColumns       = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, BodyColumn, AttachmentColumn, AttachmentNameColumn, SenderIPColumn, ChannelColumn, ReadAtColumn, ArchivedAtColumn, ReplyBodyColumn, RepliedAtColumn, ReplyReadAtColumn, CreatedAtColumn, LangColumn}
 		defaultColumns       = postgres.ColumnList{CreatedAtColumn}
 	)
 
@@ -104,14 +102,13 @@ func newFeedbackMessagesTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) feedbackM
 		AttachmentName: AttachmentNameColumn,
 		SenderIP:       SenderIPColumn,
 		Channel:        ChannelColumn,
-		Lang:           LangColumn,
-		ChannelLang:    ChannelLangColumn,
 		ReadAt:         ReadAtColumn,
 		ArchivedAt:     ArchivedAtColumn,
 		ReplyBody:      ReplyBodyColumn,
 		RepliedAt:      RepliedAtColumn,
 		ReplyReadAt:    ReplyReadAtColumn,
 		CreatedAt:      CreatedAtColumn,
+		Lang:           LangColumn,
 
 		AllColumns:     allColumns,
 		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/game_setup_draws.go

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+//
+// Code generated by go-jet DO NOT EDIT.
+//
+// WARNING: Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior
+// and will be lost if the code is regenerated
+//
+
+package table
+
+import (
+	"github.com/go-jet/jet/v2/postgres"
+)
+
+var GameSetupDraws = newGameSetupDrawsTable("backend", "game_setup_draws", "")
+
+type gameSetupDrawsTable struct {
+	postgres.Table
+
+	// Columns
+	GameID    postgres.ColumnString
+	Round     postgres.ColumnInteger
+	PickNo    postgres.ColumnInteger
+	AccountID postgres.ColumnString
+	Letter    postgres.ColumnString
+	IsBlank   postgres.ColumnBool
+	DrawRank  postgres.ColumnInteger
+	CreatedAt postgres.ColumnTimestampz
+
+	AllColumns     postgres.ColumnList
+	MutableColumns postgres.ColumnList
+	DefaultColumns postgres.ColumnList
+}
+
+type GameSetupDrawsTable struct {
+	gameSetupDrawsTable
+
+	EXCLUDED gameSetupDrawsTable
+}
+
+// AS creates new GameSetupDrawsTable with assigned alias
+func (a GameSetupDrawsTable) AS(alias string) *GameSetupDrawsTable {
+	return newGameSetupDrawsTable(a.SchemaName(), a.TableName(), alias)
+}
+
+// Schema creates new GameSetupDrawsTable with assigned schema name
+func (a GameSetupDrawsTable) FromSchema(schemaName string) *GameSetupDrawsTable {
+	return newGameSetupDrawsTable(schemaName, a.TableName(), a.Alias())
+}
+
+// WithPrefix creates new GameSetupDrawsTable with assigned table prefix
+func (a GameSetupDrawsTable) WithPrefix(prefix string) *GameSetupDrawsTable {
+	return newGameSetupDrawsTable(a.SchemaName(), prefix+a.TableName(), a.TableName())
+}
+
+// WithSuffix creates new GameSetupDrawsTable with assigned table suffix
+func (a GameSetupDrawsTable) WithSuffix(suffix string) *GameSetupDrawsTable {
+	return newGameSetupDrawsTable(a.SchemaName(), a.TableName()+suffix, a.TableName())
+}
+
+func newGameSetupDrawsTable(schemaName, tableName, alias string) *GameSetupDrawsTable {
+	return &GameSetupDrawsTable{
+		gameSetupDrawsTable: newGameSetupDrawsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias),
+		EXCLUDED:            newGameSetupDrawsTableImpl("", "excluded", ""),
+	}
+}
+
+func newGameSetupDrawsTableImpl(schemaName, tableName, alias string) gameSetupDrawsTable {
+	var (
+		GameIDColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("game_id")
+		RoundColumn     = postgres.IntegerColumn("round")
+		PickNoColumn    = postgres.IntegerColumn("pick_no")
+		AccountIDColumn = postgres.StringColumn("account_id")
+		LetterColumn    = postgres.StringColumn("letter")
+		IsBlankColumn   = postgres.BoolColumn("is_blank")
+		DrawRankColumn  = postgres.IntegerColumn("draw_rank")
+		CreatedAtColumn = postgres.TimestampzColumn("created_at")
+		allColumns      = postgres.ColumnList{GameIDColumn, RoundColumn, PickNoColumn, AccountIDColumn, LetterColumn, IsBlankColumn, DrawRankColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
+		mutableColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{AccountIDColumn, LetterColumn, IsBlankColumn, DrawRankColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
+		defaultColumns  = postgres.ColumnList{IsBlankColumn, CreatedAtColumn}
+	)
+
+	return gameSetupDrawsTable{
+		Table: postgres.NewTable(schemaName, tableName, alias, allColumns...),
+
+		//Columns
+		GameID:    GameIDColumn,
+		Round:     RoundColumn,
+		PickNo:    PickNoColumn,
+		AccountID: AccountIDColumn,
+		Letter:    LetterColumn,
+		IsBlank:   IsBlankColumn,
+		DrawRank:  DrawRankColumn,
+		CreatedAt: CreatedAtColumn,
+
+		AllColumns:     allColumns,
+		MutableColumns: mutableColumns,
+		DefaultColumns: defaultColumns,
+	}
+}

backend/internal/postgres/jet/backend/table/table_use_schema.go

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ func UseSchema(schema string) {
 	GameInvitations = GameInvitations.FromSchema(schema)
 	GameMoves = GameMoves.FromSchema(schema)
 	GamePlayers = GamePlayers.FromSchema(schema)
+	GameSetupDraws = GameSetupDraws.FromSchema(schema)
 	Games = Games.FromSchema(schema)
 	Identities = Identities.FromSchema(schema)
 	Sessions = Sessions.FromSchema(schema)

backend/internal/postgres/migrations/00002_aborted_end_reason.sql

@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
--- +goose Up
--- Allow end_reason = 'aborted': a game whose journal can no longer be reconstructed (a
--- recorded move became illegal under tightened rules) is closed as a draw rather than left
--- unopenable. See engine.EndAborted and Service.voidGame.
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-ALTER TABLE games DROP CONSTRAINT games_end_reason_chk;
-ALTER TABLE games ADD CONSTRAINT games_end_reason_chk CHECK (
-    end_reason IS NULL OR end_reason IN ('out_of_tiles', 'scoreless', 'resign', 'timeout', 'aborted')
-);
-
--- +goose Down
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-ALTER TABLE games DROP CONSTRAINT games_end_reason_chk;
-ALTER TABLE games ADD CONSTRAINT games_end_reason_chk CHECK (
-    end_reason IS NULL OR end_reason IN ('out_of_tiles', 'scoreless', 'resign', 'timeout')
-);

backend/internal/postgres/migrations/00003_account_suspensions.sql

@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
--- +goose Up
--- Manual account blocking ("suspension"), the operator's hard counterpart to the soft,
--- reversible accounts.flagged_high_rate_at marker. Named "suspension" throughout the schema
--- and Go to stay distinct from the peer-to-peer `blocks` table (one player muting another);
--- the wire/UI vocabulary the player sees is "blocked". A suspension forces the player to
--- forfeit every active game and replaces their whole UI with a terminal "blocked" screen until
--- it is lifted or (for a temporary one) expires. See docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §12.
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-
--- The operator-editable reason picklist, one row per reason with its English and Russian text.
--- A suspension snapshots the chosen text (account_suspensions.reason_en/ru), so editing or
--- deleting a reason here never changes or breaks a reason already shown to a blocked player.
-CREATE TABLE suspension_reasons (
-    reason_id  uuid        PRIMARY KEY,
-    text_en    text        NOT NULL,
-    text_ru    text        NOT NULL,
-    created_at timestamptz NOT NULL DEFAULT now(),
-    updated_at timestamptz NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
-);
-
--- The block history: one row per block. blocked_until is NULL for a permanent block and the
--- expiry instant for a temporary one; lifted_at is stamped when an operator unblocks early.
--- reason_en/reason_ru are the text snapshot taken at block time (NULL when no reason was
--- cited); reason_id keeps a loose link to the picklist entry for later analytics and is nulled
--- if that entry is deleted (the snapshot remains the source of truth shown to the player). An
--- account is currently blocked when its newest row has lifted_at IS NULL AND (blocked_until IS
--- NULL OR blocked_until > now()).
-CREATE TABLE account_suspensions (
-    suspension_id uuid        PRIMARY KEY,
-    account_id    uuid        NOT NULL REFERENCES accounts (account_id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
-    blocked_at    timestamptz NOT NULL DEFAULT now(),
-    blocked_until timestamptz,
-    reason_en     text,
-    reason_ru     text,
-    reason_id     uuid        REFERENCES suspension_reasons (reason_id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
-    lifted_at     timestamptz
-);
--- The enforcement gate looks up the newest suspension for an account on every authenticated
--- request; this index serves that "latest by account" probe.
-CREATE INDEX account_suspensions_account_idx ON account_suspensions (account_id, blocked_at DESC);
-
--- +goose Down
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-DROP TABLE IF EXISTS account_suspensions;
-DROP TABLE IF EXISTS suspension_reasons;

backend/internal/postgres/migrations/00004_feedback.sql

@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
--- +goose Up
--- User feedback ("Обратная связь"): a flat list of messages a registered player sends to the
--- operators from Settings -> Info, each with an optional single attachment, plus the operator's
--- inline reply shown back to the player. Distinct from the in-game chat_messages (peer-to-peer)
--- and from the out-of-app Telegram messages. Also introduces account_roles, the project's first
--- per-account role table, replacing per-feature boolean flags. See docs/ARCHITECTURE.md.
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-
--- One feedback message. read_at marks "the operator has dealt with this" (set by every console
--- action: read / reply / archive; never by merely opening the detail). The anti-spam gate forbids
--- a new submission while the player has any read_at IS NULL message. archived_at files a handled
--- message away. The reply lives on the same row: reply_body/replied_at are stamped when the
--- operator answers; reply_read_at is stamped when the player's app first fetches the reply for
--- display ("delivered = read"), and the reply is hidden from the player one week after that.
--- attachment is the raw bytes (capped at 1,000,000 in Go); attachment_name carries the original
--- file name (its extension drives the safe content-type at serve time). sender_ip is the
--- gateway-forwarded client IP (validated, like chat); channel is the submitting platform
--- (telegram/ios/android/web, validated in Go). The sender's interface/bot language snapshots
--- (lang, channel_lang) are added additively in 00005.
-CREATE TABLE feedback_messages (
-    message_id      uuid        PRIMARY KEY,
-    account_id      uuid        NOT NULL REFERENCES accounts (account_id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
-    body            text        NOT NULL,
-    attachment      bytea,
-    attachment_name text,
-    sender_ip       text,
-    channel         text        NOT NULL,
-    read_at         timestamptz,
-    archived_at     timestamptz,
-    reply_body      text,
-    replied_at      timestamptz,
-    reply_read_at   timestamptz,
-    created_at      timestamptz NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
-);
--- The per-player probes (anti-spam "has unread", "latest message", "latest reply") and the
--- console's user-scoped search all look an account up newest-first.
-CREATE INDEX feedback_messages_account_idx ON feedback_messages (account_id, created_at DESC);
--- The console queue lists messages newest-first across all accounts.
-CREATE INDEX feedback_messages_created_idx ON feedback_messages (created_at DESC);
-
--- Named per-account roles. A reusable replacement for per-feature boolean flags: the first role,
--- 'feedback_banned', forbids only feedback submission (not the whole account, unlike a
--- suspension). Roles are validated in Go (no CHECK here) so new ones need no migration. Granted
--- from the feedback console (the "block" checkbox on delete) and granted/revoked from /users.
-CREATE TABLE account_roles (
-    account_id uuid        NOT NULL REFERENCES accounts (account_id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
-    role       text        NOT NULL,
-    granted_at timestamptz NOT NULL DEFAULT now(),
-    PRIMARY KEY (account_id, role)
-);
-
--- +goose Down
-SET search_path = backend, pg_catalog;
-DROP TABLE IF EXISTS account_roles;
-DROP TABLE IF EXISTS feedback_messages;