Merge pull request 'release: v1.4.0 — Telegram launch diagnostic + dynamic SDK load' (#127) from development into master

The diagnostic showed only sdk: yes/no (window.Telegram presence), not why the
SDK was absent. Capture how the dynamic telegram-web-app.js load resolved —
present / loaded / no-webapp / error / timeout — and surface it as
"sdk-load: <outcome>". error/timeout pinpoint a blocked or hanging telegram.org
(the prime suspect for an empty launch); no-webapp a loaded-but-broken script.

loadTelegramSDK records the outcome (telegramSdkOutcome); collectTelegramDiag
carries it into the screen. Unit tests cover each outcome; the blocked-script
e2e now asserts sdk-load: error.

.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ on:
 # 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
+  DICT_VERSION: v1.3.0
 
 jobs:
   # changes detects which areas a PR/push touched, so the test jobs can skip when
@@ -260,11 +260,16 @@ jobs:
           GM_BASICAUTH_HASH: ${{ secrets.TEST_GM_BASICAUTH_HASH }}
           GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TEST_GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD }}
           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: ${{ 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: ${{ vars.TEST_VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK }}
           # The test contour always uses Telegram's test environment — pinned here,
           # not an operator variable. The prod workflow leaves it false.
           TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV: "true"
@@ -288,11 +293,19 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p "$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
+          # The telegram-local profile brings the bot + its VPN sidecar; prod runs the
-          docker compose --ansi never up -d --remove-orphans
+          # 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
@@ -323,33 +336,39 @@ jobs:
           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
+          # The gateway/backend probes cannot see a crash-looping validator or bot
-          # egresses through the VPN sidecar, with no public ingress). Inspect the
+          # (the validator answers only internal gRPC; the bot long-polls + egresses
-          # container directly: it must be running, not restarting, with a stable
+          # through the VPN sidecar with no public ingress). Inspect the containers
-          # restart count. A grace period lets the VPN handshake settle (the connector
+          # directly: each must be running, not restarting, with a stable restart
-          # may restart a few times first).
+          # count. A grace period lets the VPN handshake and the bot-link dial settle.
           sleep 20
-          for i in $(seq 1 20); do
+          for name in scrabble-telegram-validator scrabble-telegram-bot; do
-            status="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}}' scrabble-telegram 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
+            ok=
-            restarting="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Restarting}}' scrabble-telegram 2>/dev/null || echo true)"
+            for i in $(seq 1 20); do
-            if [ "$status" = "running" ] && [ "$restarting" = "false" ]; then
+              status="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}}' "$name" 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
-              c1="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' scrabble-telegram)"
+              restarting="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Restarting}}' "$name" 2>/dev/null || echo true)"
-              sleep 5
+              if [ "$status" = "running" ] && [ "$restarting" = "false" ]; then
-              c2="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' scrabble-telegram)"
+                c1="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$name")"
-              if [ "$c1" = "$c2" ]; then
+                sleep 5
-                echo "connector healthy: status=$status restarts=$c2"
+                c2="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$name")"
-                exit 0
+                if [ "$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

@@ -1,96 +1,97 @@
 # scrabble-game — project guide
 
-Multiplatform Scrabble game. Read this first every session. The owner drives the
+Multiplatform Scrabble game, **in production** at `https://erudit-game.ru`. Read this
-project **one stage per session** (tariff constraint), so the repository — not
+first every session. The repository — not conversation memory — is the source of
-conversation memory — is the source of continuity. Keep it that way.
+continuity; keep it that way.
 
 ## Sources of truth (read before changing behaviour)
 
-- [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md) — staged plan + **stage tracker** + per-stage *open
+- [`docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) — architecture, transport, security,
-  details to interview*.
+  the decision record. Always describes the current state.
-- [`PRERELEASE.md`](PRERELEASE.md) — pre-release hardening tracker (phases R1–R7
+- [`docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`](docs/FUNCTIONAL.md) (+ [`_ru`](docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md) mirror)
-  before Stage 18); same per-phase *interview + bake-back* discipline as `PLAN.md`.
+  — per-domain user stories. English authoritative.
-- [`docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) — architecture, transport,
+- [`docs/TESTING.md`](docs/TESTING.md) — test layers + the CI gate.
-  security, the decision record. Always describes current state.
-- [`docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`](docs/FUNCTIONAL.md) (+ [`_ru`](docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md)
-  mirror) — per-domain user stories. English authoritative.
-- [`docs/TESTING.md`](docs/TESTING.md) — test layers + the per-stage CI gate.
 - [`docs/UI_DESIGN.md`](docs/UI_DESIGN.md) — the `ui` visual/interaction design system.
+- [`deploy/README.md`](deploy/README.md) — the deploy contour + the production
+  rollout / rollback runbook.
 
-## Mandatory per-stage workflow
+## How we work
 
-**Start of a stage**
+- Inspect the relevant code path and the docs above before changing behaviour.
-1. Read `PLAN.md` (the stage's scope + *open details*) and the relevant `docs/`.
+- **Interview the owner on every fork** — do not silently pick borderline decisions;
-2. Analyse what the stage actually requires against the current code.
+  offer options with brief pros/cons.
-3. **Interview the owner** on every open detail and any fork not already fixed
+- Smallest correct diff. Prefer compact code; reuse before adding; do not add deps,
-   in the plan — do not silently pick borderline decisions. Offer options with
+  seams or knobs until they are needed.
-   brief pros/cons.
+- **Update or add tests for every functional change**, at the layers
-4. Only then implement, strictly within the stage's scope.
+  `docs/TESTING.md` calls out.
-
+- **Bake docs in the same PR**: update `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`
-**End of a stage**
+  (+`_ru`), the affected service `README` and Go Doc comments alongside the change.
-1. Bake every new agreement back into `PLAN.md`, `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`,
+- Document added packages, types, funcs, consts and vars with Go Doc comments.
-   `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` (+ `_ru`), the affected service `README`, and Go Doc
-   comments — in the **same** PR. Correct earlier stages' docs/code if a new
-   decision changes them.
-2. Update the stage tracker; add a line under *Refinements logged during
-   implementation* for any plan deviation.
-3. Get CI green, then mark the stage done.
-
-(The `stage-implementation` skill encodes this same loop and can be invoked.)
 
 ## Conventions
 
 - All code, comments, identifiers, commits, docs, filenames in **English**.
-- Chat with the owner follows the user-level `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` (Russian,
+- Chat with the owner follows the user-level `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` (Russian, the
-  the agreed persona and translation rules).
+  agreed persona and translation rules).
-- Mirror every point edit of `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` into `docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md`
+- Mirror every point edit of `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` into `docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md` in the
-  in the same patch (translate only the touched paragraphs).
+  same patch (translate only the touched paragraphs).
-- Prefer compact code; do not add deps, seams or knobs until a stage needs them.
-  Reuse before adding. Document added packages/types/funcs with Go Doc comments.
-- Update or add tests for every functional change.
 
-## Branching & CI
+## Branching, CI & production
 
-- **Two long-lived branches** (Stage 16 onward): **`development`** is the
+- **Two long-lived branches**: **`development`** is the integration branch; **`master`**
-  integration branch; **`master`** is the production trunk. Cut `feature/*`
+  is the production trunk. Cut `feature/*` from `development` and PR back into it;
-  branches **from `development`** and PR them back into it. (Stages 0–15 used
+  promote `development → master` via PR when ready to release. Both branches require
-  `master` as the trunk with `feature/* → master`; the genesis Stage 0 commit is
+  one approval + the `CI / gate` check.
-  on `master` by necessity.)
+- A commit to a `feature/*` branch triggers nothing. The single workflow
-- A commit to a `feature/*` branch triggers **nothing**. The single workflow
+  `.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml` runs the full suite (`unit` + `integration` + `ui`) on a
-  `.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml` runs the full suite (`unit` + `integration` + `ui`)
+  PR into `development` or `master`, and the gated **`deploy`** job auto-rolls the
-  on a PR into `development` or `master`, and the gated **`deploy`** job auto-rolls
+  **test contour** on a PR into — or a push to — `development`
-  the **test contour** on a PR into — or a push to — `development`
+  (`docker compose up -d --build` on the runner host + landing/SPA/backend probes). A
-  (`docker compose up -d --build` on the runner host + a `GET /` probe). A PR into
+  PR into `master` is test-only.
-  `master` is test-only.
+- **Production is live on two hosts** (main + the Telegram bot host) and deploys
-- Merge `development → master` only when CI is green; the **prod** deploy is then a
+  **only manually** (`workflow_dispatch`), never automatically:
-  **manual** workflow (Stage 18), never automatic. Secrets/variables are prefixed
+  - **`.gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml`** (`confirm=deploy`, from `master`) builds +
-  `TEST_` / `PROD_` per contour (Gitea 1.26 has no deployment environments).
+    pushes the images to the registry, then SSH-deploys both hosts — rolling per
-- After any push, watch the run to green before declaring a stage done — use the
+    service in dependency order, health-gated, **auto-rollback to the previous tag**;
-  ready-made watcher, never an inline poll loop:
+    a schema migration adds a maintenance window + a consistent `pg_dump`. Four visible
-  `python3 ~/.claude/bin/gitea-ci-watch.py` (background). It reads `$GITEA_URL`
+    jobs: build → deploy-main → deploy-bot → verify.
-  / `$GITEA_TOKEN`; `gitea.iliadenisov.ru` is allow-listed in
+  - **`.gitea/workflows/prod-rollback.yaml`** (`confirm=rollback`) re-deploys a prior
-  `.claude/settings.json`. Remote: `origin git@gitea.iliadenisov.ru:developer/scrabble-game.git`.
+    release (blank `target_version` = the previous deployed version) — image-only,
+    rolling, health-gated.
+  - **Releases are git tags `vX.Y.Z` on `master`**; the deploy stamps `git describe
+    --tags` into the image tag, every binary (`pkg/version` via `-ldflags` → the
+    `service.version` telemetry attribute) and the SPA About screen. Tag the release
+    before deploying.
+  - Hosts are provisioned idempotently by **`deploy/ansible/`**. Per-contour
+    secrets/variables use the `TEST_` / `PROD_` prefix (Gitea 1.26 has no deployment
+    environments). Migrations must be **expand-contract** (backward-compatible) so
+    image rollback stays DB-safe. Full runbook + variable list in `deploy/README.md`.
+- After any push, merge or deploy, **watch the run to green** before declaring done —
+  use the ready-made watcher (run it in the background), never an inline poll loop:
+  `python3 ~/.claude/bin/gitea-ci-watch.py`. It reads `$GITEA_URL` / `$GITEA_TOKEN`;
+  `gitea.iliadenisov.ru` is allow-listed in `.claude/settings.json`. Remote:
+  `origin git@gitea.iliadenisov.ru:developer/scrabble-game.git`.
 
 ## Stack
 
-Go 1.26.3, `go.work` monorepo, module paths `scrabble/<name>`. Dependencies are
+Go 1.26.3, `go.work` monorepo, module paths `scrabble/<name>`. Backend uses `gin` +
-added **when first used** (incremental): backend uses `gin` + `zap` +
+`zap` + `pgx`/`go-jet`/`goose`/OTel. Client↔gateway is Connect-RPC + FlatBuffers
-`pgx`/`go-jet`/`goose`/OTel (added in Stage 1). Client↔gateway is Connect-RPC +
+(h2c); gateway↔backend is REST/JSON + `X-User-ID` plus a gRPC server-stream for live
-FlatBuffers (h2c); gateway↔backend is REST/JSON + `X-User-ID` plus a gRPC
+events. UI is pure HTML5/CSS on plain Svelte + Vite, packaged to native with
-server-stream for live events. UI is pure HTML5/CSS on plain Svelte + Vite,
+Capacitor. No Redis.
-packaged to native with Capacitor. Likely no Redis.
 
 ## Reused engine: `../scrabble-solver` (module `scrabble-solver`, Go 1.26.3)
 
-Embedded **in-process as a library** — there is no per-game container. Public
+Embedded **in-process as a library** (`replace scrabble-solver => ../scrabble-solver`
-API to reuse (do not reimplement):
+in `go.work`; CI checks out the sibling from
+`https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/.../scrabble-solver.git`). There is no per-game
+container. Public API to reuse (do not reimplement):
 
-- `scrabble.NewSolver(rs, finder)` → `GenerateMoves(b, r, mode)` (ranked,
+- `scrabble.NewSolver(rs, finder)` → `GenerateMoves(b, r, mode)` (ranked, highest
-  highest score first), `ValidatePlay(b, dir, tiles)`, `ScorePlay(...)`;
+  score first), `ValidatePlay(b, dir, tiles)`, `ScorePlay(...)`; `scrabble.Apply(b, m)`;
-  `scrabble.Apply(b, m)`; types `Move/Word/Placement/Direction/Mode`
+  types `Move/Word/Placement/Direction/Mode`
   (`scrabble-solver/scrabble/{solver,move,apply}.go`).
-- `rules.English() / RussianScrabble() / Erudit()`
+- `rules.English() / RussianScrabble() / Erudit()` (`scrabble-solver/rules/rules.go`).
-  (`scrabble-solver/rules/rules.go`).
 - `board.New / Parse / Clone / Transpose`; `rack.New / Add / Remove / Clone`;
   `selfplay.NewBag / Draw / Len` (bag pattern).
 - Load committed dictionaries with `dawg.Load(path)` from
@@ -99,20 +100,17 @@ API to reuse (do not reimplement):
 
 Constraints:
 - Words/tiles are **alphabet-index bytes**, meaningful only with the matching
-  `rules.Ruleset` (`Alphabet.Decode`); blank flag carried separately. **Decode
+  `rules.Ruleset` (`Alphabet.Decode`); the blank flag is carried separately. **Decode
   to real characters before persisting history** (history must be
   dictionary-independent — see `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` §9.1).
 - The solver's `internal/*` is NOT importable from this sibling module.
 - **GCG is test-only** in the solver (no public writer) — we ship our own.
-- Wiring: add `replace scrabble-solver => ../scrabble-solver` to `go.work` in
+- The solver uses published `github.com/iliadenisov/{alphabet,dafsa}` (no local replace).
-  **Stage 2** (when `internal/engine` first imports it), and make CI check out
-  the solver sibling (`https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/.../scrabble-solver.git`).
-  It uses published `github.com/iliadenisov/{alphabet,dafsa}` (no local replace).
 
 ## Repository layout
 
 ```
-go.work                      # use the existing modules; grows per stage
+go.work                      # the go.work monorepo
 backend/                     # module scrabble/backend
   cmd/backend/               # main: telemetry -> db+migrate -> cache -> server
   cmd/jetgen/                # dev tool: regenerate go-jet code (throwaway container)
@@ -123,12 +121,14 @@ backend/                     # module scrabble/backend
   internal/session/          # opaque tokens, sessions store, cache, service
   internal/server/           # gin engine, /api/v1 groups, X-User-ID, probes
   internal/inttest/          # //go:build integration Postgres-backed tests
-docs/  .gitea/workflows/  PLAN.md  CLAUDE.md  README.md
+gateway/                     # module scrabble/gateway: Connect-RPC edge, embeds the SPA
-gateway/  ui/  pkg/              # added by their stages
+ui/                          # Svelte + Vite SPA + landing (Node project, not in go.work)
-platform/telegram/               # Telegram connector side-service (Stage 9): bot + gRPC API
+pkg/                         # shared: telemetry, version, wire/FlatBuffers, proto, mtls
-loadtest/                        # module scrabble/loadtest: the pre-release stress harness (R2)
+platform/telegram/           # Telegram side-service: cmd/validator (HMAC, no VPN) + cmd/bot (Bot API; dials gateway over reverse mTLS bot-link)
-backend/Dockerfile gateway/Dockerfile platform/telegram/Dockerfile loadtest/Dockerfile  # multi-stage distroless (Stage 16; loadtest R2); gateway/Dockerfile also has the `landing` target (R3)
+loadtest/                    # module scrabble/loadtest: the load/stress harness
-deploy/                          # docker-compose (per-service limits, R7) + caddy + landing + otelcol (OTLP + docker_stats per-container metrics) + prometheus/tempo/grafana + postgres_exporter
+docs/  .gitea/workflows/  CLAUDE.md  README.md
+backend/Dockerfile gateway/Dockerfile platform/telegram/Dockerfile loadtest/Dockerfile  # multi-stage distroless; gateway/Dockerfile has the `landing` target, platform/telegram/Dockerfile has `validator`+`bot` targets
+deploy/                      # docker-compose (+ prod overlay + bot host) + ansible provisioning + caddy + landing + otelcol (OTLP + docker_stats) + prometheus/tempo/grafana + node_exporter + postgres_exporter; prod-deploy.sh
 ```
 
 ## Build & test
@@ -138,20 +138,19 @@ 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
 go run ./backend/cmd/backend    # /healthz, /readyz on :8080
 
-cd ui && pnpm install && pnpm check && pnpm test:unit && pnpm build  # the UI (Stage 7+)
+cd ui && pnpm install && pnpm check && pnpm test:unit && pnpm build  # the UI
 pnpm start                      # UI mock mode: lobby -> game, no backend
 
-docker build -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .   # images (Stage 16); gateway embeds the SPA
+docker build --build-arg DICT_VERSION=v1.3.0 -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .  # DICT_VERSION required (no default); gateway embeds the SPA
 docker build -f gateway/Dockerfile --target gateway -t scrabble-gateway .
-docker build -f gateway/Dockerfile --target landing -t scrabble-landing .  # static landing (R3)
+docker build -f gateway/Dockerfile --target landing -t scrabble-landing .  # static landing
 docker compose -f deploy/docker-compose.yml config         # validate the full contour
 ```
 
-The `ui` module is a Node project (pnpm), **not** in `go.work`; it is the `ui` job
+The `ui` module is a Node project (pnpm), **not** in `go.work`; it is the `ui` job of
-of the single `.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml` (Stage 16 folded the former go-unit /
+the single `.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml`. Committed edge codegen under `ui/src/gen/`
-integration / ui-test workflows into it). Committed edge codegen under `ui/src/gen/`
 (regenerate with `pnpm codegen`); pnpm build-script approval lives in
 `ui/pnpm-workspace.yaml` (`allowBuilds: esbuild: true`).

PRERELEASE.md

@@ -1,552 +0,0 @@
-# Pre-release plan — hardening before Stage 18
-
-Living tracker for the pre-release hardening pass that runs **before Stage 18** (the
-prod cutover). Same discipline as [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md): one phase per session,
-**interview the owner on the open details** at the start of each phase, bake every
-decision back into `PLAN.md` / `docs/` / the affected `README`s / Go Doc comments in
-the **same** PR, get CI green, then mark the phase done. Phases run as
-`feature/* → development` PRs (the Stage 16 branch model); the owner approves+merges.
-
-**Why now:** the system is feature-complete through Stage 17 and the test contour is
-green, but there is **no prod data yet** — schema, wire labels and the dictionary
-layout can still change for free. These phases spend that one-time freedom and harden
-the edge before prod. Each phase maps back to the owner's raw pre-release TODO list
-(numbers in the tracker).
-
-## Phase tracker
-
-| # | Phase | Raw TODOs | Status |
-|---|-------|-----------|--------|
-| R1 | Schema & naming reset | 1 + 10 | **done** |
-| R2 | Stress harness + contour observability + early run | 9a | **done** |
-| R3 | Edge hardening | 2 + 8 + 3 | **done** |
-| R4 | Push enrichment + kill the last poll | 4 + 5 | **done** |
-| R5 | Bundle slimming | 6 | **done** |
-| R6 | Refactor + docs reconciliation + de-staging | 7 | **done** |
-| R7 | Final stress run + tuning | 9b | **done** |
-| UI | Tab-bar navigation redesign (drop the hamburger) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| MW | "Multiple words per turn" rule for Russian games (engine v1.1.0) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| MW2 | Single-word rule connectivity fix: the word must run along its own line through an existing tile (perpendicular-only contact no longer connects); single-tile direction picks the best legal word (engine v1.1.1) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| MW3 | Graceful replay degradation: a game whose journalled move became illegal under MW2 is closed as a draw (`end_reason='aborted'`) on open instead of erroring, with an impersonal organizer note in the history + GCG (migration `00002`) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| OW | Open auto-match: enter the game at once and wait inside it (robot after 90–180 s) | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| DA | Dictionary admin: online release-archive upload → word-diff preview → install/activate; versioned dict volume; active version persisted in DB; resident label = release tag | owner ad-hoc | **done** |
-| 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** |
-| → | Stage 18 — prod contour deploy | — | see [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md) |
-
-## Key findings (these reshaped the raw list — read before starting a phase)
-
-- **R1 (TODO 1 + 10) is one cheap moment, now.** Squashing the 12 goose migrations is
-  safe precisely because there is no prod data and the contour DB is wiped. Folding the
-  new variant labels (`scrabble_ru`/`scrabble_en`/`erudit_ru`) into that single baseline
-  makes the rename need **no data migration and no back-compat mapping**. Today's labels
-  (`english`/`russian_scrabble`/`erudit`) are persisted in `games.variant`,
-  `game_invitations.variant`, in `pkg/fbs` and the UI — ~100 files, but a mechanical sweep
-  on a clean DB.
-- **R4 (TODO 4 + 5): the app is already push-first.** Game state refreshes on
-  `your_turn`/`opponent_moved`, the lobby on `notify`, chat on `chat_message`. The **only**
-  genuine periodic server poll is `lobby.poll` (matchmaking, 2.5 s,
-  `ui/src/screens/NewGame.svelte`). What remains is killing that one poll **and** enriching
-  push events to carry payloads so the UI stops re-fetching after each signal.
-- **R3 (TODO 2): identity forgery is already mitigated.** Identity is always derived from
-  the session (`Authorization: Bearer` → `X-User-ID`); the client cannot inject identity,
-  the backend re-validates resource ownership, Telegram initData is HMAC-checked. The real
-  gaps are a missing **request-body size limit** (cheap DoS) and **invisible rate-limit
-  rejections** (no log/metric/admin view — that is TODO 8). Static landing serving is **not**
-  covered by the gateway token bucket (it only guards `Execute`).
-- **R6 (TODO 7) scale:** ~431 `Stage N` references across ~104 files (incl. the file name
-  `backend/internal/inttest/stage6_test.go`). Code is the source of truth; `docs/` describe
-  current state; `PLAN.md` keeps the decision history.
-
-## Locked decisions (owner interview)
-
-- **Stress test (TODO 9):** **early + final** runs. Driver = **edge protocol** (Connect/FB
-  through the gateway, moves generated by the solver) **plus a separate gateway-hammer**
-  saturation test. Pacing = **realistic (under limits) + saturation (ramp to the knee)**.
-  Resource metrics = **add cAdvisor + postgres_exporter to the contour** (today only
-  Go-runtime metrics exist). The harness stays in the repo for repeats.
-- **Push (TODO 4 + 5):** **both** — kill `lobby.poll` (use the existing `match_found`, keep
-  poll as the ws-down fallback) **and** enrich push events with payloads.
-- **Refactor (TODO 7):** **hygiene + structural changes by a reviewed list** —
-  behaviour-preserving, test-gated, contentious items surfaced to the owner before applying.
-- **Landing (TODO 3):** **separate static container** behind the project caddy
-  (`/` → landing, `/app/` + `/telegram/` → gateway); drop `landing.html` from the gateway
-  `go:embed`.
-- **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**.
-- **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
-  **opponent_joined** event. While open, the starter may move on their turn but resign, chat and
-  nudge are disabled, and the lobby + opponent card read "searching for opponent". Matchmaking is
-  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.
-
-## Phases
-
-Each phase: read this tracker + the relevant `docs/`, **interview the owner on the open
-details below**, implement within scope, then update the tracker + docs/code and get CI
-green before marking it done.
-
-### R1 — Schema & naming reset *(TODO 1 + 10)* — first
-Squash `backend/internal/postgres/migrations/00001..00012` into one `00001_baseline.sql`
-(method: `pg_dump --schema-only` from a fully-migrated DB → wrap as the goose baseline →
-prove a fresh migrate yields a schema identical to the 12-migration chain via the
-integration suite → delete the old files; keep goose). Bake the new variant labels into the
-baseline. Propagate `scrabble_ru`/`scrabble_en`/`erudit_ru` through the backend
-(`engine.Variant`/`ParseVariant`, `registry.dictFiles`, the CHECK values), the wire
-(`pkg/fbs` `variant:string`, regenerate FB) and the UI (`lib/model.ts` union, `variants.ts`,
-fixtures, premium/alphabet keys, tests); i18n display keys stay display-only. Tidy
-`../scrabble-dictionary` to a single source→dawg build point and align the dawg artifact
-names to the new labels (crosses into `../scrabble-solver`'s committed fixtures — keep them
-byte-identical). After merge, **wipe the contour DB** (drop the volume) so it re-provisions
-on the next deploy.
-- Critical files: `backend/internal/postgres/migrations/`,
-  `backend/internal/engine/{engine,registry}.go`, `pkg/fbs/scrabble.fbs`,
-  `ui/src/lib/{model,variants}.ts`, `../scrabble-dictionary/{Makefile,cmd/builddict,…}`.
-- Open details to interview: the exact dawg filename scheme; whether the dict-repo tidy is
-  one PR or split; how to script the contour DB wipe in the deploy.
-
-### R2 — Stress harness + contour observability + early run *(TODO 9, part 1)*
-Build the reusable load harness as a new `loadtest` module in `go.work` (reuses `pkg/fbs`,
-`connect-go`, and `scrabble-solver` for legal-move generation): a seeder that inserts
-**1000 guest + 10000 durable** accounts with pre-created sessions (token hashes) directly in
-the DB and hands the plaintext tokens to the client; a driver that runs N virtual users,
-each in 3–5 concurrent 2–4-player games, exercising submit-play / pass / exchange / nudge /
-chat / check-word / draft-move / profile-save through the **edge protocol**, in
-**realistic** (under rate limits) and **saturation** (ramp) modes; plus a separate
-**gateway-hammer** that deliberately exceeds limits to verify the limiter holds and measure
-its cost. Add **cAdvisor + postgres_exporter** to `deploy/docker-compose.yml` and a Grafana
-resource dashboard. Run the **early pass** against the freshly-wiped contour; produce a
-**trip report** (logic/concurrency bugs + a resource baseline) that feeds R3 and R6.
-- Critical files: new `loadtest/`, `deploy/docker-compose.yml`, `deploy/observability/*`,
-  `docs/TESTING.md`.
-- Open details: the scale ramp steps; the move-selection policy (a mid-ranked solver move
-  for realistic game progress); run duration; the pass/fail bar.
-
-### R3 — Edge hardening *(TODO 2 + 8 + 3)*
-Add a **request-body size cap** at the gateway h2c mux / `Execute` (e.g. ~1 MB). Add
-**rate-limit observability**: a `gateway_rate_limited_total{class}` counter + a structured
-log per rejection; an **aggregate** Grafana panel (request rate + rejection rate — spikes
-visible without per-user label cardinality, honouring the Stage 12/17 discipline); an
-**admin-console view** of recently throttled users/IPs (in-memory ring buffer, single-
-instance, reset-on-restart, like the `active_users` gauge). Add the **conservative
-auto-flag**: when a user is *sustained*-throttled past a tunable threshold, set a soft,
-reversible `account.flagged_high_rate_at` marker (baked into the R1 baseline) surfaced in the
-admin user list/detail — **no auto-ban**; the operator clears it. Split the **landing** into
-its own static container (`deploy/` + a Caddyfile route `/` → landing) and drop
-`landing.html` from the gateway `go:embed`.
-- Critical files: `gateway/internal/connectsrv/server.go`, `gateway/internal/ratelimit/`,
-  `gateway/internal/connectsrv/metrics.go`, `backend/internal/adminconsole/`,
-  `deploy/caddy/Caddyfile`, `deploy/docker-compose.yml`, `gateway/internal/webui/`.
-- Open details: the auto-flag threshold/window + whether the marker is persisted vs
-  in-memory; the landing image base (caddy vs nginx).
-
-### R4 — Push enrichment + kill the last poll *(TODO 4 + 5)*
-Replace `lobby.poll` with the existing `match_found` push (keep the poll as a ws-down
-fallback). Enrich `your_turn`/`opponent_moved`/`notify` to carry the state payload so the UI
-renders from the event without a follow-up `game.state` (removes the lobby↔game nav latency
-the owner noticed). Wire-contract change: `pkg/fbs` event payloads → backend `notify` emit →
-UI stream consumers (`ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts`), with the per-game cache as the landing
-spot; regenerate FB.
-- Critical files: `pkg/fbs/scrabble.fbs`, `backend/internal/notify/events.go`,
-  `ui/src/lib/{app.svelte,transport}.ts`, `ui/src/screens/NewGame.svelte`.
-- Open details: which events carry full vs delta payloads; the fallback-poll cadence when the
-  stream is down.
-
-### R5 — Bundle slimming *(TODO 6)* — done
-Analysed the bundle against the 100 KB-gzip budget; **no code slimming was warranted**, and the
-budget metric was retargeted to measure the app correctly. The build already minifies +
-tree-shakes; the dominant cost is the Connect/FlatBuffers transport runtime + generated bindings
-+ the Svelte runtime (≈⅔ of `main`'s source is third-party/generated) — irreducible within scope.
-**Lazy-loading was rejected**: `bundle-size.mjs` sums every emitted chunk, so code-splitting yields
-no total-size win and adds request latency (+N gateway fetches on first navigation to a split
-screen). i18n lazy-load was skipped (the catalogs are a sliver of a Svelte-runtime-dominated shared
-chunk, and `en` must stay bundled as the `MessageKey` type source + fallback). Instead,
-`bundle-size.mjs` now measures **per HTML entry**, with three independent gates on the natural chunk
-boundaries — **app entry ≤ 100 KB, the Svelte+i18n shared chunk ≤ 30 KB, the landing's own chunk
-≤ 5 KB** — since the app's real payload is its entry chunk plus the shared chunk (≈97 KB), while the
-landing (≈24 KB) is reported separately and kept minimal. Same CLI + exit-code contract, so the CI
-step is unchanged.
-- Critical files: `ui/scripts/bundle-size.mjs`; no app code changed.
-
-### R6 — Refactor + docs reconciliation + de-staging *(TODO 7)* — done
-Behaviour-preserving only. Three separable, separately-committed passes: (a) mechanical
-**de-staging** — remove `Stage N`/`TODO-N` references from code, comments and service
-READMEs (rename `stage6_test.go`); (b) **docs↔code reconciliation** — reconcile
-`docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` / `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`(+`_ru`) against the code-as-truth, fixing drift
-and Go Doc comments; (c) **structural changes by a reviewed list** — surface a list of
-proposed optimizations / test-suite consolidations to the owner, apply only the approved,
-behaviour-preserving, test-gated ones. The full suite + the final stress run (R7) are the
-regression gate. Incorporates the early-run (R2) bug fixes not already shipped.
-- Open details: the structural-changes list itself (owner-approved before applying); the test
-  consolidation targets.
-
-### R7 — Final stress run + tuning *(TODO 9, part 2)* — done
-Re-run the R2 harness against the final, refactored system on a clean contour; analyse
-resource consumption across **all** components (gateway, backend, Postgres, the
-metrics/observability stack, docker log volume) and agree the tuning (pool sizes, rate
-limits, cache TTLs, container limits, GOMAXPROCS, log levels). Apply the agreed tuning; record
-the methodology + results in the repo.
-
-→ **Stage 18** (prod contour) then proceeds per [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md).
-
-## Sequencing rationale
-
-`R1` first (cheapest now; everything builds on the final schema/naming and the stress test
-must run against it). `R2` builds the harness and runs the **early** pass to surface bugs and
-a resource baseline that feed `R3` and `R6`. `R3`/`R4`/`R5` harden and improve the system.
-`R6` (de-stage + reconcile + structural) runs near the end so it sweeps settled code once and
-benefits from all accumulated bug knowledge. `R7` validates the final system and tunes it.
-Then Stage 18.
-
-## Regression-safety discipline (cross-cutting)
-
-- Every phase is a `feature/* → development` PR; CI (`unit` + `integration` + `ui` behind the
-  `CI / gate` check) must be green before the owner merges; watch the post-merge contour
-  deploy with `gitea-ci-watch.py`.
-- `R6` structural changes are behaviour-preserving, test-gated, and split from the mechanical
-  sweeps; contentious items are owner-approved first.
-- The two stress runs (`R2` early, `R7` final) are the system-level regression gate.
-
-## Verification (per phase)
-
-- `go build ./<module>/...`, `go vet`, `gofmt -l .` clean, `go test -count=1 ./<module>/...`;
-  UI: `pnpm check && pnpm test:unit && pnpm build`; the integration suite
-  (`-tags integration`) for DB/schema changes; `docker compose config` for deploy changes;
-  green CI on the PR + a healthy contour deploy.
-- `R1`: prove the squashed baseline yields a schema identical to the 12-migration chain
-  (integration suite on a fresh DB) **before** deleting the old files.
-- `R2`/`R7`: the harness runs end-to-end against the contour; the trip report lists concrete
-  defects + a resource profile from the Grafana cAdvisor/postgres_exporter panels.
-
-## Refinements logged during implementation
-
-- **R1** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Variant labels** `english`/`russian_scrabble`/`erudit` → **`scrabble_en`/`scrabble_ru`/`erudit_ru`**
-    across the backend (`engine.Variant.String`/`ParseVariant`; the `games`/`game_invitations` `variant`
-    CHECK in the baseline; GCG `#lexicon` and the `variant` metric attribute both flow from `String`),
-    the wire (`pkg/fbs` `variant` is a `string` field — values change with **no FlatBuffers regen**) and
-    the UI (`model.ts` union, `variants.ts` records, `codec`/`premiums`/mocks/tests, the admin
-    `dictionary.gohtml`). **Kept:** the Go enum identifiers (`VariantEnglish`…, internal) and the i18n
-    display keys (`new.english`/`new.russian`/`new.erudit`, display-only). `complaints.variant` stays
-    free-text (no CHECK, as before).
-  - **dawg filenames kept descriptive** (`en_sowpods`/`ru_scrabble`/`ru_erudit`) — only the registry's
-    `Variant` key carries the rename, so `registry.go`, the published `scrabble-solver` fixtures and the
-    dictionary release artifact are untouched (decouples the three repos).
-  - **Migrations squashed** 12 → one hand-written `00001_baseline.sql`. Verified by a
-    `pg_dump --schema-only` diff (the chain vs the baseline are **identical** but for the two intended
-    variant-CHECK values) plus the green integration suite. **No data migration** (no production data).
-  - **Done (cross-repo + contour):** the **`scrabble-dictionary` tidy** merged (PR #2) and was re-cut as
-    the **byte-identical `v1.0.1`** release for clean provenance (the backend stays on `v1.0.0` — same
-    bytes, no rewire; the backend pulls a version-pinned release artifact, not master). Post-merge the
-    contour `backend` schema was wiped (`DROP SCHEMA backend CASCADE` + restart, not a volume drop) and
-    re-migrated to the baseline — verified the new variant CHECK (`scrabble_en/scrabble_ru/erudit_ru`),
-    `games`=0 and a clean boot.
-
-- **R2** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Locked decisions:** game assembly via **invitations** (real path, no robots; not direct game-row
-    inserts); **moderate** ramp **50 → 200 → 500** at 10 min/step; **diagnostic** pass bar (no SLO gate);
-    run as a **one-shot container on `scrabble-internal`** in this PR.
-  - **Harness** = new `scrabble/loadtest` module (`use ./loadtest` + a `replace scrabble/gateway` for the
-    dot-free edge-proto import). It seeds 1000 guest + 10000 durable accounts + sessions **directly in
-    Postgres** (token hash mirrors `backend/internal/session`), drives players over the **edge protocol**,
-    generates **mid-ranked legal moves locally** with the embedded `scrabble-solver` by replaying
-    `game.history` (the edge carries no board — mirrors `engine.ReplayBoard` via the public API), and a
-    **gateway-hammer**. Compact CLI (`run` / `cleanup`), distroless Dockerfile (DAWGs baked), Go unit tests.
-  - **Adding the module broke the other images' builds** — backend/gateway/telegram Dockerfiles reduce the
-    workspace but still referenced `./loadtest` (not in their context); each now also
-    `-dropuse=./loadtest` (backend/telegram additionally `-dropreplace` the gateway replace). Caught by the
-    first deploy run; verified by building all four images.
-  - **Harness payload fixes found by the smoke pass:** the draft DTO's `rack_order` is a string (was sent
-    as `[]` → `bad_request`); the display-name validator forbids digits/colons, so the cleanup marker
-    became a letters-only `Zzloadtest` so `profile.update` resends the seeded name. `chat_not_your_turn` /
-    `nudge_own_turn` are **by-design** turn gates, correctly exercised.
-  - **Observability:** added **cAdvisor + postgres_exporter** + the **Scrabble — Resources** dashboard +
-    two Prometheus jobs. **Finding:** cAdvisor yields only the root cgroup on the contour host (separate
-    XFS `/var/lib/docker` breaks its layer-ID resolution — the existing galaxy deploy has the same limit),
-    so per-container CPU/RSS for the early pass was captured via `docker stats`. **R7:** adopt the otelcol
-    `docker_stats` receiver (already the contrib image) for per-container metrics in Grafana.
-  - **Early run (2026-06-09):** ramped clean to 500 players, no crash/deadlock, cleanup removed all 11000
-    accounts. 1.2 M edge calls, 48 870 plays, 2 798 games finished; the per-user limiter held under the
-    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);
-    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.
-
-- **R3** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Locked decisions:** the flag column lands by **editing the R1 baseline** (+ a contour schema
-    wipe after merge — no migration chain accrues before prod); auto-flag defaults **1000 rejected /
-    10 min** (`BACKEND_HIGHRATE_FLAG_THRESHOLD`/`_WINDOW`, rolling window, set-once, operator clears,
-    no auto-ban); landing image = **caddy:2-alpine**; throttle data flows **gateway → backend** (a
-    30 s per-key summary POST to the new `/api/v1/internal/ratelimit/report`, the existing trusted
-    direction) with the episode window + flag rule in the backend (`internal/ratewatch`); rejection
-    logging = **Warn summary per key per window + Debug per rejection** — a deliberate deviation from
-    the phase's "structured log per rejection" (the R2 hammer would have logged ~522k lines in
-    minutes); all three R2-report tails included (explicit h2c sizing, the session-resolve failure
-    cause at Warn, reviving the admin limiter).
-  - **Body cap:** `GATEWAY_MAX_BODY_BYTES` (default 1 MiB) as both the Connect per-message read limit
-    and an `http.MaxBytesReader` wrap of the public mux; an oversized Execute is `resource_exhausted`.
-  - **Dead config found:** `AdminPerMinute`/`AdminBurst` were never wired — the gateway `/_gm` mount is
-    now 429-guarded per IP ahead of its Basic-Auth. The caddy-fronted contour path stays unlimited
-    (stock caddy has no limiter) — an accepted gap, recorded in `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md` §12.
-  - **Landing split:** a `landing` target in `gateway/Dockerfile` (the UI build stage is shared;
-    identical compose build args keep it one cached build); the gateway drops `landing.html` from the
-    embed and 308-redirects `/` → `/app/`; the contour caddy routes `/app/`, `/telegram/` and the
-    Connect path to the gateway and the catch-all to the landing container; the CI deploy probe now
-    checks both `/` (landing) and `/app/` (gateway).
-  - **Observability:** `gateway_rate_limited_total{class}` (user/public/email/admin, aggregate-only)
-    + a rate-vs-rejections panel on the Edge/UX dashboard; the admin console gains the **Throttled**
-    page (the in-memory episode window, reset-on-restart like `active_users`, plus the flagged-account
-    queue) and the flag badge / clear action on the user list / card.
-  - The jet regen also restored the previously missing `game_drafts`/`game_hidden` generated models
-    (their tables were added after the last jetgen run; no behaviour change).
-
-- **R4** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Locked decisions:** **delta-first**, not full snapshots — an event carries only the new move and
-    the UI applies it to its per-game cache, keyed on `move_count` (idempotent + gap-safe: a gap or the
-    actor's own move falls back to a `game.state` + `game.history` refetch). `match_found` /
-    `game_started` carry the recipient's **initial `StateView`** (instant lobby→game); the fallback
-    refetch stays the existing two calls (no merged endpoint); the matchmaking poll runs **only while
-    the stream is down** (2.5 s); **all** UI-state-changing events carry their payload (incl. lobby `notify`).
-  - **Enriched events** (`pkg/fbs` trailing fields — backward-compatible, no FB regen of *values*, only
-    the schema): `opponent_moved` (+`move`/`game`/`bag_len`), `your_turn` (+`move_count`), `match_found`
-    (+`state`), `game_over` (+`game`), `notify` (+`account`/`invitation`/`state`). The pre-R4
-    `opponent_moved` scalars (`seat`/`action`/`score`/`total`) stay for wire back-compat, now redundant
-    with `move`/`game` — slated for the R6 de-stage.
-  - **Encoding placement:** the `notify` package keeps ownership of the FlatBuffers encoding (a new
-    `encode.go` mirrors the gateway transcode but reads wire-agnostic `notify.*` input structs +
-    `engine.MoveRecord`); the game/lobby/social services map their domain types to those structs, so the
-    wire schema stays out of the domain. **Flagged for R6:** this partly duplicates the gateway encoders
-    (different source types) — a candidate consolidation.
-  - **Actor self-fetch killed too** (beyond literal "push"): the `submit_play`/`pass`/`exchange`/`resign`
-    **response** (`MoveResult`) now returns the actor's refilled rack + bag size, so the mover renders the
-    next turn from the response — `Game.svelte`'s `commit`/`pass`/`exchange`/`resign` drop their `await load()`.
-  - **`match_found` enrichment** needs a per-seat initial state: `lobby.GameCreator` gained `InitialState`,
-    and `game.Service.InitialState` builds the `notify.PlayerState` (rack re-encoded to wire indices, the
-    variant alphabet embedded for a first-seen variant).
-  - **UI:** a pure `lib/gamedelta.ts` reducer (`applyMoveDelta` / `applyGameOver` / `seedInitialState`,
-    unit-tested) advances the cache; `app.svelte` seeds it on `match_found` / `game_started`; `Game.svelte`
-    applies the delta (falling back to `load()` while composing, on a gap, or on its own move's new rack);
-    `NewGame.svelte` polls only when `app.streamAlive` is false and guards its teardown so a push-delivered
-    match is not cancelled.
-  - **notify (friends/invitations) scope:** the backend carries the full account / invitation payload on the
-    wire (per "all events → push"); the UI seeds the game cache from `game_started` but keeps its lightweight
-    **authoritative** badge refresh (`refreshNotifications`, on the rare `notify` event + on foreground) rather
-    than adding client-side friend/invitation caches — the per-move hot path is fully de-fetched, which was the
-    goal. Deeper lobby-cache consumption is an easy follow-up.
-  - **No schema change** (no migration); the contour needs no DB wipe. Tests: `notify` FB round-trips +
-    `emitMove` delta + the `gamedelta` reducer; the e2e mock now emits the enriched delta.
-
-- **R5** (interview + implementation):
-  - **No code slimming — by analysis.** A gzip measure + sourcemap attribution of the real `dist` showed
-    the app bundle is already minified + tree-shaken and dominated by the Connect/FlatBuffers transport
-    runtime + generated FB/PB bindings (≈⅔ of `main`'s source) and the Svelte runtime — all
-    third-party/generated, irreducible within R5's scope. App-authored code carries no hand-trimmable fat.
-  - **Lazy-load rejected** (screens *and* i18n): `bundle-size.mjs` sums every emitted chunk, so
-    code-splitting moves bytes between chunks for **zero total-size win** while adding request latency (+N
-    gateway fetches on first navigation to a split screen). i18n lazy-load additionally buys ≤3 KB (en-only
-    users) at the cost of an async `t()`, and `en` must stay bundled (it is the `MessageKey` type source +
-    fallback). **Chunk-collapsing rejected** too — keeping the near-static Svelte runtime in its own
-    cacheable chunk is the recommended practice (an app deploy then re-busts only `main`, not the runtime),
-    and HTTP/2 makes the extra preload request negligible.
-  - **Metric retargeted to the app.** The two-entry build (`index.html` app + `landing.html`) makes Rollup
-    hoist the code shared by both (Svelte runtime + i18n + `aboutContent`) into one preloaded chunk, so the
-    app actually loads its entry chunk **+ the shared chunk** (≈74 + ≈23 = **≈97 KB**), never `landing.js`
-    (≈1.6 KB). The old script summed all three chunks (98.8 KB), over-counting the app by `landing.js`.
-    `bundle-size.mjs` now parses each built HTML for the JS it eagerly loads and gates three parts
-    independently — **app entry ≤ 100 KB, shared (Svelte+i18n) ≤ 30 KB, landing-own ≤ 5 KB** — reporting the
-    app total (≈97) and landing total (≈24.5). Same CLI + exit-code contract, so the CI step is unchanged.
-  - **No app/source/build change** (`App.svelte`, `lib/i18n/`, `vite.config.ts` untouched); no schema
-    change, no contour wipe. The stale "~82 KB" figure was corrected in `bundle-size.mjs` and `ui/README.md`.
-
-- **R6** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Locked decisions:** apply **both** wire/code structural changes (**B** + **A**) and **only C1+C2** of
-    the test consolidation (not C3/C5); strip the `*(Stage N)*` tags from **all current-state docs**
-    (ARCHITECTURE / FUNCTIONAL+`_ru` / TESTING / UI_DESIGN), keeping PLAN.md / PRERELEASE.md / CLAUDE.md as
-    history; **split `stage6_test.go`** by domain. The `h2cMaxConcurrentStreams` sizing stays an **R7**
-    concern (tuning, not behaviour-preserving); the R2 early run forced no code fix, so nothing was carried in.
-  - **(a) De-staging:** removed the `Stage N` / `TODO-N` / `(RN)` references across code, comments, service
-    READMEs and the current-state docs, rewording narratives to present tense (no technical content lost).
-    Renamed the only stage-named identifiers (`registerStage8`→`registerSocialOps`,
-    `registerStage11`→`registerLinkOps`) and split `stage6_test.go` (`TestEmailLoginFlow`→`email_test.go`;
-    `TestGuestAutoMatchLeavesNoStats`+`provisionGuest`→`account_test.go`). De-staged the `.fbs`/`.proto`
-    comments and regenerated: only the `.proto`-derived Go docstrings (`*_grpc.pb.go`, `push.pb.go`) changed —
-    flatc strips schema comments, so the FB Go/TS bindings were untouched.
-  - **(b) Reconciliation:** the docs were accurate (each R-phase baked its own); the one drift was a stale
-    "guest-reaping deferred (TODO-3)" note in `ARCHITECTURE.md` §3 — guest reaping is implemented, so the
-    note was replaced with the current behaviour (FUNCTIONAL/TESTING already described it).
-  - **(c) B — dead `opponent_moved` scalars:** removed `seat/action/score/total` from `OpponentMovedEvent`
-    (`pkg/fbs/scrabble.fbs` + the `notify` emit + the round-trip test); regenerated FB Go + TS. No reader
-    used them (the UI codec/mock take `move`/`game`/`bag_len`; the gateway forwards the payload verbatim).
-    A pre-release wire-slot renumber — free with no prod data, no DB change.
-  - **(c) A — shared FB builders:** new `scrabble/pkg/wire` holds the single definition of the nested wire
-    tables (GameView / MoveRecord / StateView / AccountRef / Invitation) shared by the backend `notify`
-    encoder and the gateway `transcode`; both map their own source types to neutral `wire.*` structs and
-    delegate. **Honest tradeoff:** the verbose `Start/Add/End` + reverse-prepend boilerplate is now written
-    once, but the field *set* is still mapped per side, and the new package makes the change net **+~145 LOC**
-    — a single-source / anti-drift win for the fiddly mechanics rather than a line-count cut. Behaviour-
-    preserving: the two sides' field sets were verified identical and the round-trip tests pass unchanged.
-  - **(c) C1+C2 — inttest fixtures:** moved the cross-file service/game fixtures (`newGameService` was used by
-    10 files) into `backend/internal/inttest/helpers.go`; single-file helpers stay local. Pure relocation.
-  - **No schema change → no contour DB wipe.** Regression gate: the full unit + integration + UI suites plus
-    the R7 stress run.
-
-- **R7** (interview + implementation):
-  - **Locked decisions:** run the harness **same-host** (one-shot container on `scrabble-internal`, capped
-    `--cpus=3` so the contour keeps spare cores); **apply container limits + `GOMAXPROCS` now** (not just a
-    prod recommendation); **replace cAdvisor with the otelcol `docker_stats` receiver** (it resolved only the
-    root cgroup on this host); keep rate-limit / h2c knobs **compiled-in** (change values only if the data
-    demands — it did not).
-  - **Harness refinements (pre-run):** each virtual player builds its **own `edge.Client`** (its own h2c
-    connection for its Subscribe stream + Execute calls) instead of all players sharing one `http2.Transport` —
-    the R2 `transport_error` artifact; and `playTurn` now reports a **finished** game so the player drops it
-    from rotation. Effect, measured: `game.state` `transport_error` 14 % (R2) → **2.49 %**; `game_finished` on
-    chat ≈ 3 900 → **35**.
-  - **Observability:** added the `docker_stats` receiver to `otelcol` (`api_version: "1.44"` — the daemon's
-    minimum is 1.40; the receiver defaults to 1.25 and crash-looped until pinned), mounted the docker socket
-    read-only with `group_add` (the contrib image runs as UID 10001), dropped the cAdvisor service + its
-    Prometheus job, and retargeted the **Scrabble — Resources** dashboard to the docker_stats metric names
-    (`container_cpu_utilization`/100 == cores). Cross-checked against `docker stats` within sampling error.
-  - **Profile (final run, 500 players, limits in force):** the **gateway is the binding constraint** — with
-    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).
-  - **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).
-    backend/postgres kept at 2 cores / 512 MiB (headroom is cheap on the shared host).
-  - **Validation:** the same gradual ramp on the tuned contour cut `game.state` `transport_error` to **0.72 %**
-    (gateway ~2 cores, now under the 3-core cap, no throttle; tempo ~1.27 GiB, under 2 GiB). A separate
-    **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`,
-    `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
-  `Menu.svelte` everywhere (it fought the Telegram-fullscreen layout, where it had to be re-centred).
-  - **Locked decisions (interview):** the in-Settings sub-nav is a **bottom TabBar with the active tab
-    highlighted** (icon-only); **Export GCG** moves to the left slot of the move-history header (free in a
-    finished game, where 🏁 *leave* does not apply); the lobby **⚙️ badge counts incoming friend requests
-    only** (invitations keep their own lobby section); unread chat is badged on **the score bar and the 💬**.
-  - **What shipped:** a ⚙️ **Settings hub** (`screens/SettingsHub.svelte`) over the existing
-    Settings/Profile/Friends/About bodies and an in-game **comms hub** (`game/CommsHub.svelte`) over
-    chat + dictionary, both with in-place tabs and a fixed back target; the game's menu items relocate into
-    the open move history (🏁 leave / 📤 export + 💬 comms header) and the player cards (🤝 add-friend); a
-    shared **TapConfirm** (`components/TapConfirm.svelte`, `lib/tapconfirm.ts`) — tap → fading ✅ → tap —
-    replaces the Skip/Hint press-and-hold popovers and drives the add-friend confirm. Fixed the move-history
-    "jump" bug (the slid board is now inert and the stage can't scroll, so a swipe up genuinely closes it).
-    `Menu.svelte` + `HoldConfirm.svelte` removed.
-  - **No schema/wire change → no contour DB wipe.** Bake-back: `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`
-    (+`_ru`). Regression gate: UI `check` + unit (`tapconfirm`) + build + bundle budget + e2e (Chromium &
-    WebKit), all green.
-
-- **UI — Merge Exchange/Pass; drop the dead Tournaments tab** (owner ad-hoc, not on the raw TODO
-  list): the lobby's 🏆 *Tournaments* tab was an inert `lobby.soon` toast — removed (the lobby is back
-  to three tabs, matching `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`). In-game the separate 🥺 *Skip* (pass) tab folds into
-  the 🔄 tab, now **Exchange/Pass**, whose dialog passes when no tile is selected and exchanges when
-  tiles are.
-  - **Decision — a pass is NOT an exchange of zero (verified against the rules + GCG):** the merge is
-    **UI-only**. Pass and exchange stay distinct game actions end-to-end — wire (`GameActionRequest` vs
-    `ExchangeRequest`), engine (`ActionPass` vs `ActionExchange`), and the GCG Poslfit dialect (a pass is
-    a bare `-`, an exchange is `-TILES`). The engine forbids a zero-tile exchange (`ErrNothingToExchange`)
-    and allows an exchange only with a full rack left in the bag (`ErrNotEnoughTilesToExchange`), while a
-    pass is always legal — collapsing them would lose a real distinction. The dialog dispatches the
-    existing `gateway.pass` / `gateway.exchange`.
-  - **What shipped:** `Lobby.svelte` (tab removed); `Game.svelte` (one 🔄 Exchange/Pass tab no longer
-    gated on an empty bag; the dialog disables tile selection while the bag is below a full rack
-    (`bagLen >= RACK_SIZE`), its confirm button reading **Pass without exchanging** / **Exchange N**);
-    i18n (`game.draw` → Exchange/Pass, new `game.passNoExchange`, dropped `game.skip` /
-    `lobby.tournaments` / `lobby.soon`). No backend/wire/history/GCG change.
-  - **No schema/wire change → no contour DB wipe.** Bake-back: `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`
-    (+`_ru`). Regression gate: UI `check` + unit + build + bundle budget + e2e (Chromium & WebKit).
-
-- **AI — Honest AI opponent in quick game** (owner ad-hoc, not on the raw TODO list): a second quick-game
-  opponent the player *knowingly* chooses, distinct from the disguised robot of the random/open path
-  (which is kept as-is). New Game's quick-game mode replaces the "auto-match" subtitle with a two-button
-  selector **🤖 AI / 👤 Random player** (the `.seg`/`.opt` segmented style, AI the default); for AI the
-  move-clock line reads "Loss after 7 days of inactivity" and the "searching" hint is hidden.
-  - **Locked decisions (interview):** AI move is **event-driven** (the robot replies the instant the
-    player's move commits; the 30 s driver is the fallback); AI games **do not touch `account_stats`**
-    (practice, like guests); the **Stage 5 strength logic is reused unchanged** (`playToWin` 40 % from the
-    seed + margin band); **no per-move timeout — a 7-day inactivity loss** instead; the 7-day line lives on
-    the New Game screen (the in-game screen has no move-clock line); chat + nudge **disabled**, word-check
-    kept, add-friend never drawn, opponent shown as **🤖** everywhere.
-  - **The 7-day rule reuses the existing per-turn timeout:** an AI game is created with
-    `turn_timeout_secs = AIInactivityTimeout` (7 days) and the existing timeout sweeper resigns the overdue
-    seat — since the robot moves at once, only the human is ever on the clock, so the per-turn timeout *is*
-    the abandon rule (no new column, no new sweeper).
-  - **One game flag drives everything:** `games.vs_ai` (edited into the R1 baseline — pre-release, so a
-    contour DB wipe after merge). It is set **only** on AI-started games, so a robot-filled random game keeps
-    `vs_ai=false` and the disguised opponent is never revealed; the UI derives 🤖 / the gates **from the flag,
-    never from the opponent account**. New backend path `Matchmaker.StartVsAI` (picks a pooled robot via the
-    existing `Pick`, creates an **active** seated game via `game.Service.Create`, random seat order) — the AI
-    request never enters the open pool, so the open-game reaper never touches it. The robot driver gains a
-    `vs_ai` branch (no sleep, no proactive nudge, zero delay) and a focused `DriveGame`/`TriggerMove` fast
-    path wired from the game service's after-create/after-commit hook (`SetAITrigger`, a func value so the
-    game package never imports the robot package). Chat/nudge gated by a new `social` `VsAI` check
-    (`ErrGameVsAI` → 409 `ai_game`); statistics skipped in `commit` when `vs_ai`.
-  - **Wire:** `EnqueueRequest` += `vs_ai`, `GameView` += `vs_ai` (trailing FB fields, regenerated Go + TS),
-    threaded through the backend DTO, the gateway transcode and the `pkg/wire` + `notify` builders.
-  - **Tests:** `lobby` unit (StartVsAI seats a robot + flags the game; empty pool leaves no game); backend
-    integration (`ai_game_test.go`: active+seated+vs_ai+7-day clock, robot moves immediately, stats skipped,
-    7-day timeout resigns the human, chat/nudge rejected); UI codec round-trip (`vs_ai` on enqueue + game
-    view); e2e (an AI game shows 🤖, no "searching", chat disabled, the dictionary still works) + the
-    existing quick-match e2e updated to pick **Random player** (the default is now AI).
-  - **Schema/wire change → a contour DB wipe** after merge (`DROP SCHEMA backend CASCADE` + restart, the
-    R1/R3 pattern). Bake-back: `docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`, `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md` (+`_ru`), `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`,
-    `backend/README.md`, Go Doc comments.
-  - **Post-review refinements (owner, same PR):** (1) the **GCG export labels the robot seat "AI"** rather
-    than its human-like pool name (`ExportGCG` overrides the name via `accounts.IsRobot`; the in-app 🤖 is
-    unchanged); (2) honest-AI games **emit no `your_turn`** — the robot replies instantly, so the signal
-    would arrive with the move and be pointless; `opponent_moved` still advances the UI; (3) the **admin
-    console surfaces the AI flag** — a **🤖 column** in `/games` and an "AI game" line on the game card
-    (`GameRow`/`GameDetailView` gain `VsAI`); (4) `games_started_total` / `games_abandoned_total` gain a
-    **`vs_ai`** attribute and the Grafana *Game domain* dashboard splits started/abandoned into **human**
-    and **AI** panels.
-  - **Follow-up (separate PR — strategy deviation):** the robot now plays **≈20%** of opening/midgame moves
-    *against* its per-game `playToWin` intent (toward the opposite margin band — a winning robot eases off, a
-    losing one surges ahead), tapering linearly to **0 over the last 14 bag tiles** and **0 once the bag is
-    empty**, so the endgame follows the chosen strategy strictly while earlier outcomes can swing the human's
-    way. Deterministic from the seed (`mix(seed,"deviate",moveCount)`), applied to **both** robot paths via
-    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`.

README.md

@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@ supports English Scrabble, Russian Scrabble and Эрудит.
   security, cross-service contracts.
 - [`docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`](docs/FUNCTIONAL.md) (+ [`_ru`](docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md)) —
   per-domain user stories.
-- [`docs/TESTING.md`](docs/TESTING.md) — test layers and the per-stage CI gate.
+- [`docs/TESTING.md`](docs/TESTING.md) — test layers and the CI gate.
-- [`PLAN.md`](PLAN.md) — the staged implementation plan and stage tracker.
+- [`CLAUDE.md`](CLAUDE.md) — project guide and development workflow.
-- [`CLAUDE.md`](CLAUDE.md) — project guide and the mandatory per-stage workflow.
 
 ## Build & test
 
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ observability stack (OTel Collector → Prometheus + Tempo → Grafana) + a fron
 services build from multi-stage distroless `*/Dockerfile`.
 
 ```sh
-docker build -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .   # pulls the DAWG release artifact
+docker build --build-arg DICT_VERSION=v1.3.0 -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .  # DICT_VERSION required; pulls that DAWG release artifact
 docker build -f gateway/Dockerfile -t scrabble-gateway .   # node stage builds + embeds the UI
 docker compose -f deploy/docker-compose.yml config         # validate (needs the TEST_/PROD_ env)
 ```

backend/Dockerfile

@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 # (GOPRIVATE), so the build stage needs git and network.
 #
 # Build from the repository root so go.work, go.work.sum, pkg/ and backend/ are all
-# in the Docker context:
+# in the Docker context. DICT_VERSION has no default — the caller supplies the
-#   docker build -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .
+# scrabble-dictionary release tag (compose/CI pass it; see deploy/README.md
+# "Bumping the dictionary version"):
+#   docker build --build-arg DICT_VERSION=v1.3.0 -f backend/Dockerfile -t scrabble-backend .
 
 # --- dictionary artifact -----------------------------------------------------
 FROM alpine:3.20 AS dawg
-ARG DICT_VERSION=v1.2.1
+ARG DICT_VERSION
 RUN apk add --no-cache curl tar
 RUN mkdir -p /dawg \
  && curl -fsSL -o /tmp/dawg.tar.gz \
@@ -33,14 +35,16 @@ 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=v1.2.1
+ARG DICT_VERSION
 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

@@ -103,9 +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`;
@@ -116,8 +123,9 @@ 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
+backend client (`internal/connector`, `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR`) that calls the gateway's
-broadcast renders through the single bot in an operator-chosen language. There is one bot,
+**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
@@ -147,6 +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
 
 ```
@@ -170,8 +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)
@@ -201,7 +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. |
@@ -212,7 +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/v1.2.1/scrabble-dawg-v1.2.1.tar.gz | tar xz -C /tmp/dawg
+mkdir -p /tmp/dawg && curl -fsSL https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/developer/scrabble-dictionary/releases/download/v1.3.0/scrabble-dawg-v1.3.0.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/*' \

backend/cmd/backend/main.go

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 // loads the dictionaries into the engine registry, warms the session cache,
 // constructs the game domain and starts its turn-timeout sweeper, constructs the
 // lobby and social domains, then serves the HTTP listener with the infrastructure
-// probes and the /api/v1 route-group skeleton. Domain HTTP endpoints are added
+// probes and the /api/v1 route group, behind which the domains expose their HTTP
-// with the gateway in a later stage described in PLAN.md.
+// endpoints to the gateway.
 package main
 
 import (
@@ -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)
@@ -211,6 +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))
@@ -233,6 +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

@@ -119,6 +119,16 @@ func (s *Store) ProvisionByIdentity(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string
 	return s.provision(ctx, kind, externalID, provisionSeed{})
 }
 
+// ProvisionEmail returns the account owning the email identity externalID, creating
+// it (unconfirmed) on first contact with browserTZ — the client's detected "±HH:MM"
+// UTC offset — seeded into its time zone. Like ProvisionByIdentity it is race-safe
+// and leaves an existing account untouched, so a returning user's saved zone is never
+// overwritten. The email account is created here (the code-request step), not at the
+// later login, so this is where its zone is seeded.
+func (s *Store) ProvisionEmail(ctx context.Context, externalID, browserTZ string) (Account, error) {
+	return s.provision(ctx, KindEmail, externalID, provisionSeed{timeZone: seedZone(browserTZ)})
+}
+
 // ProvisionRobot provisions (or finds) the durable account backing a robot pool
 // member: a KindRobot identity carrying displayName, with chat blocked but friend
 // requests NOT blocked — a request to a robot is accepted as pending and, since the
@@ -151,14 +161,28 @@ func (s *Store) ProvisionRobot(ctx context.Context, externalID, displayName stri
 	return modelToAccount(row), nil
 }
 
-// ProvisionTelegram provisions (or finds) the account bound to a Telegram
+// ProvisionTelegram provisions (or finds) the account bound to a Telegram identity,
-// identity. On first contact only, it seeds the new account's preferred language
+// reporting whether this call created it (first contact). On first contact only, it
-// from the Telegram client languageCode (when it maps to a supported language) and
+// seeds the new account's preferred language from the Telegram client languageCode
-// its display name sanitized from firstName (falling back to username, then to a
+// (when it maps to a supported language) and its display name sanitized from firstName
-// generated placeholder when neither yields any letters); an already-existing
+// (falling back to username, then to a generated placeholder when neither yields any
-// account is returned unchanged, so a later profile edit is never overwritten.
+// letters); an already-existing account is returned unchanged, so a later profile edit
-func (s *Store) ProvisionTelegram(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, username, firstName string) (Account, error) {
+// is never overwritten. The created flag lets the auth handler re-evaluate moderated-
-	return s.provision(ctx, KindTelegram, externalID, telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName))
+// 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, browserTZ 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
+	}
+	seed := telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName)
+	seed.timeZone = seedZone(browserTZ)
+	acc, err := s.provision(ctx, KindTelegram, externalID, seed)
+	return acc, created, err
 }
 
 // provision finds the account for (kind, externalID) or creates it with seed,
@@ -185,20 +209,33 @@ func (s *Store) provision(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string, seed pro
 }
 
 // provisionSeed carries the optional create-time profile seed for a brand-new
-// account (Telegram first contact). Empty fields fall back to the accounts table
+// account (first contact). Empty fields fall back to the accounts table defaults,
-// defaults, so an unknown language keeps the 'en' default and an empty name keeps
+// so an unknown language keeps the 'en' default, an empty name keeps the ” default
-// the ” default.
+// and an empty time zone keeps the 'UTC' default.
 type provisionSeed struct {
 	preferredLanguage string
 	displayName       string
+	timeZone          string
+}
+
+// seedZone returns browserTZ when it is a well-formed zone to persist at account
+// creation (a "±HH:MM" offset or a loadable IANA name), else "" so the new account
+// falls back to the accounts table's 'UTC' default. The client reports the device's
+// detected offset deterministically; a bad value is dropped rather than guessed at.
+func seedZone(browserTZ string) string {
+	if validZone(browserTZ) {
+		return browserTZ
+	}
+	return ""
 }
 
 // telegramSeed derives the create-time seed from Telegram launch fields: a
 // supported preferred language from languageCode (an ISO-639 code, possibly
-// region-tagged like "ru-RU"), and a display name sanitized from firstName or,
+// region-tagged like "ru-RU"), and a display name. The name precedence is the real
-// failing that, username (sanitizeDisplayName strips disallowed characters to the
+// name (firstName, sanitized to the editable format) → the @username taken verbatim
-// editable format). When neither yields any letters, it falls back to a generated
+// (already a valid handle, only trimmed and length-capped, never character-stripped)
-// placeholder in the seeded language (placeholderDisplayName).
+// → a generated placeholder in the seeded language (placeholderDisplayName), reached
+// only when firstName has no usable letters and no username is set.
 func telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName string) provisionSeed {
 	var seed provisionSeed
 	if lang, _, _ := strings.Cut(strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(languageCode)), "-"); lang == "en" || lang == "ru" {
@@ -206,7 +243,13 @@ func telegramSeed(languageCode, username, firstName string) provisionSeed {
 	}
 	name := sanitizeDisplayName(firstName)
 	if name == "" {
-		name = sanitizeDisplayName(username)
+		// The real name yielded nothing usable: fall back to the @username verbatim
+		// (Telegram guarantees a valid handle), only trimmed and capped to the column
+		// width — never character-stripped like the real name.
+		name = strings.TrimSpace(username)
+		if r := []rune(name); len(r) > maxDisplayName {
+			name = strings.TrimRight(string(r[:maxDisplayName]), " ")
+		}
 	}
 	if name == "" {
 		name = placeholderDisplayName(seed.preferredLanguage)
@@ -303,6 +346,14 @@ 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) {
@@ -341,16 +392,22 @@ func (s *Store) create(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string, seed provis
 
 	var created Account
 	err = withTx(ctx, s.db, func(tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		// Seed the new row's display name and language (Telegram first contact); an
+		// Seed the new row's display name, language and time zone (first contact); an
-		// empty seed reproduces the table defaults ('' and 'en') the other callers
+		// empty seed reproduces the table defaults ('', 'en' and 'UTC') the other callers
-		// relied on, so their behaviour is unchanged.
+		// relied on, so their behaviour is unchanged. time_zone is written explicitly (the
+		// detected offset, or 'UTC' equal to the column default) so a seeded zone lands at
+		// creation while an unseeded one stays UTC.
 		lang := seed.preferredLanguage
 		if lang == "" {
 			lang = "en"
 		}
+		tz := seed.timeZone
+		if tz == "" {
+			tz = "UTC"
+		}
 		insertAccount := table.Accounts.
-			INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.PreferredLanguage).
+			INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.PreferredLanguage, table.Accounts.TimeZone).
-			VALUES(accountID, seed.displayName, lang).
+			VALUES(accountID, seed.displayName, lang, tz).
 			RETURNING(table.Accounts.AllColumns)
 
 		var row model.Accounts
@@ -389,15 +446,21 @@ const guestDisplayName = "Guest"
 // ProvisionGuest creates a fresh ephemeral guest account: a durable row carrying
 // no identity, flagged is_guest, so it can hold a session and a game seat (both
 // foreign-key the accounts table) while being excluded from statistics, friends
-// and history. Guests are not reused — each bootstrap mints a new account.
+// and history. Guests are not reused — each bootstrap mints a new account. browserTZ
-func (s *Store) ProvisionGuest(ctx context.Context) (Account, error) {
+// (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) seeds the guest's time zone, falling
+// back to the 'UTC' default when empty or malformed.
+func (s *Store) ProvisionGuest(ctx context.Context, browserTZ string) (Account, error) {
 	accountID, err := uuid.NewV7()
 	if err != nil {
 		return Account{}, fmt.Errorf("account: new guest id: %w", err)
 	}
+	tz := seedZone(browserTZ)
+	if tz == "" {
+		tz = "UTC"
+	}
 	stmt := table.Accounts.
-		INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.IsGuest).
+		INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.IsGuest, table.Accounts.TimeZone).
-		VALUES(accountID, guestDisplayName, true).
+		VALUES(accountID, guestDisplayName, true, tz).
 		RETURNING(table.Accounts.AllColumns)
 
 	var row model.Accounts

backend/internal/account/email.go

@@ -131,13 +131,15 @@ func (s *EmailService) ConfirmCode(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, ema
 // the unauthenticated email-login entry point and, unlike RequestCode,
 // does not refuse an already-confirmed email — that is the ordinary returning-user
 // login. The code is mailed to the address, so only its real owner can complete
-// the login. It returns the target account id for the subsequent LoginWithCode.
+// the login. On first contact browserTZ (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset)
-func (s *EmailService) RequestLoginCode(ctx context.Context, email string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
+// seeds the new account's time zone. It returns the target account id for the
+// subsequent LoginWithCode.
+func (s *EmailService) RequestLoginCode(ctx context.Context, email, browserTZ string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
 	addr, err := normalizeEmail(email)
 	if err != nil {
 		return uuid.UUID{}, err
 	}
-	acc, err := s.store.ProvisionByIdentity(ctx, KindEmail, addr)
+	acc, err := s.store.ProvisionEmail(ctx, addr, browserTZ)
 	if err != nil {
 		return uuid.UUID{}, err
 	}

backend/internal/account/provision_test.go

@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ import (
 
 // TestTelegramSeed covers the pure mapping from Telegram launch fields to the
 // create-time account seed: supported-language detection (bare and region-tagged),
-// the first-name / username display-name precedence, and the sanitization that
+// the real-name → @username (verbatim) → placeholder display-name precedence, and
-// strips disallowed characters (emoji, digits, punctuation) to the editable format.
+// the sanitization of the real name (emoji, digits, punctuation stripped to the
+// editable format). The username, when used, is kept verbatim.
 func TestTelegramSeed(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := map[string]struct {
 		languageCode, username, firstName string
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ func TestTelegramSeed(t *testing.T) {
 		"punct to space":      {"en", "user", "John❤Doe", "en", "John Doe"},
 		"digits dropped":      {"ru", "user", "Маша123", "ru", "Маша"},
 		"garbage to username": {"en", "good", "123!@#", "en", "good"},
+		"username verbatim":   {"en", "co_ol99", "🎮🎮", "en", "co_ol99"},
 	}
 	for name, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -49,10 +51,10 @@ func TestTelegramSeedPlaceholder(t *testing.T) {
 		languageCode, username, firstName string
 		wantRe                            string
 	}{
-		"en empty":     {"en", "", "", `^Player-\d{5}$`},
+		"en empty":                  {"en", "", "", `^Player-\d{5}$`},
-		"ru empty":     {"ru", "", "", `^Игрок-\d{5}$`},
+		"ru empty":                  {"ru", "", "", `^Игрок-\d{5}$`},
-		"default en":   {"fr", "", "", `^Player-\d{5}$`},
+		"default en":                {"fr", "", "", `^Player-\d{5}$`},
-		"both garbage": {"ru", "123", "!!!", `^Игрок-\d{5}$`},
+		"name garbage, no username": {"ru", "", "!!!", `^Игрок-\d{5}$`},
 	}
 	for name, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {

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/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/adminconsole/templates/pages/feedback_detail.gohtml

@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
 <li><b>From</b> <a href="/_gm/users/{{.AccountID}}">{{.SenderName}}</a> ({{.Source}})</li>
 <li><b>Channel</b> {{.Channel}}</li>
 <li><b>Interface language</b> {{.InterfaceLanguage}}</li>
+<li><b>App version</b> {{if .Version}}<code>{{.Version}}</code>{{else}}<span class="note">unknown</span>{{end}}</li>
 <li><b>IP</b> {{if .IP}}<code>{{.IP}}</code>{{else}}<span class="note">none</span>{{end}}</li>
-<li><b>Filed</b> {{.CreatedAt}}</li>
+<li><b>Filed</b> {{.CreatedAt}} UTC &middot; browser {{if .CreatedAtBrowser}}{{.CreatedAtBrowser}} ({{.BrowserTZ}}){{else}}<span class="note">N/A</span>{{end}} &middot; user {{if .CreatedAtUser}}{{.CreatedAtUser}} ({{.UserTZ}}){{else}}<span class="note">N/A</span>{{end}}</li>
 <li><b>State</b> {{if .Archived}}archived{{else if .Read}}read{{else}}<span class="warn">unread</span>{{end}}</li>
 {{if .Banned}}<li><b>Feedback</b> <span class="warn">sender is banned from feedback</span></li>{{end}}
 </ul>

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/views.go

@@ -389,17 +389,27 @@ type BroadcastView struct {
 	ConnectorEnabled bool
 }
 
-// ThrottledView is the rate-limit observability page: the recent gateway-reported
+// ThrottledView is the rate-limit observability page: the temporary IP bans the
-// throttle episodes (in-memory, reset on restart) and the accounts currently
+// gateway is currently enforcing, the recent gateway-reported throttle episodes
-// carrying the high-rate flag. FlagThreshold and FlagWindow caption the active
+// (in-memory, reset on restart) and the accounts currently carrying the high-rate
-// auto-flag tuning.
+// 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 {
@@ -544,5 +554,17 @@ type FeedbackDetailView struct {
 	ReplyBody         string
 	RepliedAt         string
 	CreatedAt         string
-	Banned            bool
+	// Version is the client app build the report was sent from (empty for rows that predate it).
+	Version string
+	// The Filed time is shown in three zones so the operator can tell what is certainly known from
+	// what is merely defaulted. CreatedAt is the authoritative UTC time. CreatedAtBrowser is that
+	// instant in the client's UTC offset detected at submit (BrowserTZ its "±HH:MM" label), empty
+	// when the client reported none (an older build). CreatedAtUser is that instant in the sender's
+	// saved profile zone (UserTZ its label), empty when the account has no zone beyond the UTC
+	// default — the template then shows "N/A" so the missing datum is explicit.
+	CreatedAtBrowser string
+	BrowserTZ        string
+	CreatedAtUser    string
+	UserTZ           string
+	Banned           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

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-// Package connector is the backend's gRPC client for the Telegram platform
+// Package connector is the backend's gRPC client for operator broadcasts: a direct
-// connector side-service. The admin console uses it to send operator broadcasts:
+// message to one user, or a post to the game channel. It calls the gateway's
-// a direct message to one user, or a post to the game channel, through the single
+// bot-link relay (which forwards the send to the remote bot over the reverse mTLS
-// bot. The connector lives on the trusted internal network, so the connection uses
+// link and reports back whether it was delivered). The relay lives on the trusted
-// insecure (plaintext) transport credentials (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §12). It mirrors
+// internal network, so the connection uses insecure (plaintext) transport
-// gateway/internal/connector, narrowed to the two broadcast methods the admin
+// credentials (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §12). It speaks the Telegram service contract,
-// surface needs.
+// narrowed to the two broadcast methods the admin surface needs.
 package connector
 
 import (

backend/internal/engine/decode.go

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const (
 	// ActionResign abandons the game.
 	ActionResign
 	// ActionTimeout is the auto-resignation a missed turn becomes; recorded by
-	// the game domain in a later stage, never produced by the engine itself.
+	// the game domain, never produced by the engine itself.
 	ActionTimeout
 )
 

backend/internal/engine/engine.go

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 // characters (see decode.go and docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §9.1), so archived games
 // replay independently of any dictionary. Second, the engine owns rules and
 // scoring only: turn scheduling, the 24-hour timeout, persistence and transport
-// belong to the game domain in a later stage.
+// belong to the game domain.
 package engine
 
 import (

backend/internal/engine/registry.go

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type entry struct {
 // Registry holds the dictionaries resident in memory, addressed by variant and
 // dictionary version, and the solvers built over them. Several versions of a
 // variant may be resident at once; a game pins the version it started on. The
-// admin reload flow (a later stage) registers a new version through Load.
+// admin reload flow registers a new version through Load.
 // Registry is safe for concurrent use.
 type Registry struct {
 	mu      sync.RWMutex

backend/internal/feedback/service.go

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (svc *Service) SetNotifier(p notify.Publisher) {
 // validates the body (non-empty, within the rune limit) and the optional
 // attachment (size and extension allow-list). senderIP is the gateway-forwarded
 // client IP (validated); channel is the submitting platform.
-func (svc *Service) Submit(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, senderIP string) error {
+func (svc *Service) Submit(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, version, browserTZ, senderIP string) error {
 	acc, err := svc.accounts.GetByID(ctx, accountID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -112,9 +112,10 @@ 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 sender's interface language at submit time (acc is already loaded
+	// Snapshot the sender's interface language, the client app version and the client's
-	// for the guest check) so the operator later sees the state as it was.
+	// detected UTC offset at submit time (acc is already loaded for the guest check) so the
-	_, err = svc.store.Insert(ctx, accountID, body, attachment, attachmentName, ch, acc.PreferredLanguage, parseIP(senderIP))
+	// operator later sees the state as it was.
+	_, err = svc.store.Insert(ctx, accountID, body, attachment, attachmentName, ch, acc.PreferredLanguage, version, browserTZ, parseIP(senderIP))
 	return err
 }
 

backend/internal/feedback/store.go

@@ -34,10 +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) is a snapshot
+// channel are stored as given. lang (interface language), version (client app build) and
-// taken now, so the operator later sees the state at submit time. created_at defaults
+// browserTZ (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) are snapshots taken now, so the operator
-// to now() in the database.
+// 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) {
+func (s *Store) Insert(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, lang, version, browserTZ string, ip *string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
 	id, err := uuid.NewV7()
 	if err != nil {
 		return uuid.Nil, fmt.Errorf("feedback: new message id: %w", err)
@@ -48,9 +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, sender_ip)
+		   (message_id, account_id, body, attachment, attachment_name, channel, lang, app_version, browser_tz, sender_ip)
-		 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8)`,
+		 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10)`,
-		id, accountID, body, att, nullStr(attachmentName), channel, nullStr(lang), ip); err != nil {
+		id, accountID, body, att, nullStr(attachmentName), channel, nullStr(lang), nullStr(version), nullStr(browserTZ), ip); err != nil {
 		return uuid.Nil, fmt.Errorf("feedback: insert: %w", err)
 	}
 	return id, nil
@@ -228,7 +228,15 @@ type AdminMessage struct {
 	Body       string
 	Channel    string
 	// Lang is the sender's interface language, snapshotted at submit time.
-	Lang           string
+	Lang string
+	// Version is the client app build the report was sent from, snapshotted at submit time.
+	Version string
+	// BrowserTZ is the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset at submit time, snapshotted so the
+	// filed time can be shown in the sender's browser-local zone even before they save a profile.
+	BrowserTZ string
+	// TimeZone is the sender account's stored zone ("±HH:MM" offset, IANA name, or ""), for
+	// rendering CreatedAt in the sender's own configured time alongside UTC.
+	TimeZone       string
 	SenderIP       string
 	HasAttachment  bool
 	AttachmentName string
@@ -343,7 +351,7 @@ 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.lang, ''), COALESCE(m.app_version, ''), COALESCE(m.browser_tz, ''), a.time_zone,
 		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
@@ -352,7 +360,7 @@ 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.Lang, &m.Version, &m.BrowserTZ, &m.TimeZone,
 		&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).
+// get returns the live game and its immutable seat list for id and refreshes its idle
-func (c *gameCache) get(id uuid.UUID) (*engine.Game, bool) {
+// 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-
+// put stores g as the live game for id together with its seat list. variant labels the
-// games gauge can report counts by variant without inspecting engine internals.
+// entry so the active-games gauge can report counts by variant without inspecting engine
-func (c *gameCache) put(id uuid.UUID, g *engine.Game, variant string) {
+// 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/doc.go

@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@
 // word-check tool with complaint capture, per-player game state, history and GCG
 // export, and the per-game turn-timeout sweeper that auto-resigns an overdue
 // player (honouring their daily away window). The HTTP surface that fronts these
-// operations is added with the gateway in a later stage.
+// operations is exposed to the gateway.
 package game

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")
+	cache.put(id, nil, "scrabble_en", nil)
-	if _, ok := cache.get(id); !ok {
+	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/service.go

@@ -287,12 +287,12 @@ func (svc *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, params CreateParams) (Game, erro
 	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)
@@ -890,26 +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 {
+	// Hot path: an active game stays cached — the engine game is mutated in place across
-		return EvalResult{}, err
+	// 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
@@ -1359,7 +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)
@@ -1374,7 +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
 }

backend/internal/game/store.go

@@ -355,27 +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).
+	// One round-trip: the game joined with its seats. A LEFT JOIN keeps a (would-be)
-		FROM(table.Games).
+	// 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)
+		ORDER_BY(table.GamePlayers.Seat.ASC())
-	var grow model.Games
+	var rows []struct {
-	if err := gstmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &grow); err != nil {
+		model.Games
-		if errors.Is(err, qrm.ErrNoRows) {
+		model.GamePlayers
-			return Game{}, ErrNotFound
+	}
-		}
+	if err := stmt.QueryContext(ctx, s.db, &rows); err != nil {
 		return Game{}, fmt.Errorf("game: get %s: %w", id, err)
 	}
-
+	if len(rows) == 0 {
-	sstmt := postgres.SELECT(table.GamePlayers.AllColumns).
+		return Game{}, ErrNotFound
-		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)
 	}
-	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

backend/internal/game/types.go

@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ const MaxActiveQuickGames = 10
 const aiPlayerName = "AI"
 
 // CreateParams describes a new game. Seats lists the seated accounts in turn
-// order (seat 0 moves first); lobby/matchmaking assembles it in a later stage.
+// order (seat 0 moves first); lobby/matchmaking assembles it.
 type CreateParams struct {
 	Variant        engine.Variant
 	Seats          []uuid.UUID
@@ -184,6 +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

backend/internal/inttest/account_test.go

@@ -110,38 +110,92 @@ func identityConfirmed(t *testing.T, kind, externalID string) bool {
 }
 
 // TestProvisionTelegramSeedsNewAccountOnly checks that Telegram first contact
-// seeds the new account's language and display name from the launch fields,
+// seeds the new account's language, display name and time zone from the launch
-// defaults the in-app-only flag on, and never overwrites an existing account on a
+// fields / detected offset, defaults the in-app-only flag on, and never overwrites
-// later login (language seeding).
+// an existing account on a later login (language and zone seeding).
 func TestProvisionTelegramSeedsNewAccountOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	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", "+03:00")
 	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)
 	}
 	if acc.DisplayName != "Иван" {
 		t.Errorf("DisplayName = %q, want Иван", acc.DisplayName)
 	}
+	if acc.TimeZone != "+03:00" {
+		t.Errorf("TimeZone = %q, want the seeded +03:00", acc.TimeZone)
+	}
 	if !acc.NotificationsInAppOnly {
 		t.Error("NotificationsInAppOnly should default to true")
 	}
 
 	// 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", "+09:00")
 	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)
 	}
-	if again.PreferredLanguage != "ru" || again.DisplayName != "Иван" {
+	if again.PreferredLanguage != "ru" || again.DisplayName != "Иван" || again.TimeZone != "+03:00" {
-		t.Errorf("existing account overwritten: lang=%q name=%q", again.PreferredLanguage, again.DisplayName)
+		t.Errorf("existing account overwritten: lang=%q name=%q tz=%q", again.PreferredLanguage, again.DisplayName, again.TimeZone)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestProvisionSeedsTimeZone checks the create-time time-zone seed across paths: a
+// valid detected offset is stored verbatim (even "+00:00", which is deliberately
+// distinct from the unset "UTC" default), a guest is seeded the same way, and a
+// missing or malformed offset falls back to the "UTC" column default rather than
+// being guessed at.
+func TestProvisionSeedsTimeZone(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
+
+	// A detected zero offset is written as "+00:00" — we record that the zone was
+	// detected (and equals UTC), distinct from the "UTC" default meaning "unknown".
+	utcDetected, _, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Zero", "+00:00")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision telegram +00:00: %v", err)
+	}
+	if utcDetected.TimeZone != "+00:00" {
+		t.Errorf("TimeZone = %q, want the seeded +00:00", utcDetected.TimeZone)
+	}
+
+	// A malformed offset is dropped: the account keeps the UTC default.
+	bad, _, err := store.ProvisionTelegram(ctx, "tg-"+uuid.NewString(), "en", "", "Bad", "not-a-zone")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision telegram bad tz: %v", err)
+	}
+	if bad.TimeZone != "UTC" {
+		t.Errorf("TimeZone = %q, want UTC fallback for a malformed offset", bad.TimeZone)
+	}
+
+	// A guest is seeded its detected offset; an empty one keeps the UTC default.
+	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "-05:30")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
+	}
+	if guest.TimeZone != "-05:30" {
+		t.Errorf("guest TimeZone = %q, want the seeded -05:30", guest.TimeZone)
+	}
+	plainGuest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision plain guest: %v", err)
+	}
+	if plainGuest.TimeZone != "UTC" {
+		t.Errorf("plain guest TimeZone = %q, want UTC default", plainGuest.TimeZone)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -150,7 +204,7 @@ 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)
 	}
@@ -166,7 +220,7 @@ func TestProvisionTelegramUnknownLanguageDefaults(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)
 	}
@@ -222,7 +276,7 @@ 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)
 	}
@@ -247,7 +301,7 @@ 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)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/admin_test.go

@@ -222,7 +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/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/email_test.go

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestEmailConfirmFlow(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // TestEmailAlreadyTakenByAnotherAccount refuses to bind an email confirmed by a
-// different account (merge is a later stage).
+// different account (combining two accounts is the separate link/merge flow).
 func TestEmailAlreadyTakenByAnotherAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ func TestEmailLoginFlow(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := account.NewEmailService(account.NewStore(testDB), mailer)
 	email := "login-" + uuid.NewString() + "@example.com"
 
-	accountID, err := svc.RequestLoginCode(ctx, email)
+	accountID, err := svc.RequestLoginCode(ctx, email, "+02:00")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("request login code: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -225,12 +225,15 @@ func TestEmailLoginFlow(t *testing.T) {
 	if acc.IsGuest {
 		t.Error("an email account must be durable, not a guest")
 	}
+	if acc.TimeZone != "+02:00" {
+		t.Errorf("TimeZone = %q, want the +02:00 seeded at the request step", acc.TimeZone)
+	}
 	if !identityConfirmed(t, account.KindEmail, email) {
 		t.Error("the email identity must be confirmed after login")
 	}
 
 	// A second login for the same email is the returning user: same account.
-	if _, err := svc.RequestLoginCode(ctx, email); err != nil {
+	if _, err := svc.RequestLoginCode(ctx, email, ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("second request: %v", err)
 	}
 	acc2, err := svc.LoginWithCode(ctx, email, sixDigit.FindString(mailer.lastBody))

backend/internal/inttest/feedback_test.go

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func latestFeedbackID(t *testing.T, svc *feedback.Service, acc uuid.UUID) uuid.U
 func TestFeedbackGuestRejected(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := newFeedbackService()
 	guest := provisionGuest(t)
-	if err := svc.Submit(context.Background(), guest, "hi", nil, "", "web", "1.2.3.4"); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrGuestForbidden) {
+	if err := svc.Submit(context.Background(), guest, "hi", nil, "", "web", "v1", "+05:00", "1.2.3.4"); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrGuestForbidden) {
 		t.Fatalf("guest submit err = %v, want ErrGuestForbidden", err)
 	}
 }
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ func TestFeedbackSubmitGateAndReplyLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := newFeedbackService()
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "  please fix the board  ", []byte("PNGDATA"), "shot.png", "ios", "9.9.9.9"); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "  please fix the board  ", []byte("PNGDATA"), "shot.png", "ios", "v1.2.0", "+03:00", "9.9.9.9"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit: %v", err)
 	}
 	// Anti-spam gate: a second message is refused while the first is unreviewed.
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "again", nil, "", "web", ""); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrPendingReview) {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "again", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrPendingReview) {
 		t.Fatalf("second submit err = %v, want ErrPendingReview", err)
 	}
 	if st, err := svc.State(ctx, acc); err != nil {
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestFeedbackSubmitGateAndReplyLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 	if m.Body != "please fix the board" { // trimmed
 		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want trimmed", m.Body)
 	}
-	if !m.HasAttachment || m.AttachmentName != "shot.png" || m.Channel != "ios" || m.SenderIP != "9.9.9.9" {
+	if !m.HasAttachment || m.AttachmentName != "shot.png" || m.Channel != "ios" || m.SenderIP != "9.9.9.9" || m.Version != "v1.2.0" || m.BrowserTZ != "+03:00" {
 		t.Fatalf("admin message = %+v", m)
 	}
 	if name, data, ok, err := svc.Attachment(ctx, id); err != nil || !ok || name != "shot.png" || string(data) != "PNGDATA" {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestFeedbackReplyHiddenAfterNewMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
 	// msg1, replied → the player can send again and currently sees the reply.
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "first", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "first", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit msg1: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := svc.Reply(ctx, latestFeedbackID(t, svc, acc), "the answer"); err != nil {
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func TestFeedbackReplyHiddenAfterNewMessage(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Sending a new message immediately drops the previous reply (it now belongs to an
 	// older message), even though it is well within the one-week window.
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "second", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "second", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit msg2: %v", err)
 	}
 	st, err := svc.State(ctx, acc)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func TestFeedbackSnapshotsLanguage(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("set language: %v", err)
 	}
 	// A message snapshots the sender's interface language at submit time.
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "from telegram", nil, "", "telegram", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "from telegram", nil, "", "telegram", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit: %v", err)
 	}
 	id := latestFeedbackID(t, svc, acc)
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func TestFeedbackBanRole(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := accounts.GrantRole(ctx, acc, account.RoleFeedbackBanned); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("grant role: %v", err)
 	}
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "hi", nil, "", "web", ""); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrBanned) {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "hi", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); !errors.Is(err, feedback.ErrBanned) {
 		t.Fatalf("banned submit err = %v, want ErrBanned", err)
 	}
 	if st, err := svc.State(ctx, acc); err != nil {
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func TestFeedbackBanRole(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := accounts.RevokeRole(ctx, acc, account.RoleFeedbackBanned); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("revoke role: %v", err)
 	}
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "hi again", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "hi again", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit after unban: %v", err)
 	}
 }
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ func TestFeedbackValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			acc := provisionAccount(t) // fresh account so the pending gate never fires first
-			if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, tt.body, tt.attachment, tt.attachmentName, "web", ""); !errors.Is(err, tt.want) {
+			if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, tt.body, tt.attachment, tt.attachmentName, "web", "", "", ""); !errors.Is(err, tt.want) {
 				t.Fatalf("submit err = %v, want %v", err, tt.want)
 			}
 		})
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func TestFeedbackAdminLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := newFeedbackService()
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "first report", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "first report", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit: %v", err)
 	}
 	id := latestFeedbackID(t, svc, acc)
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func TestFeedbackDeleteAllByAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := newFeedbackService()
 	acc := provisionAccount(t)
 
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "one", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "one", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := svc.DeleteAllByAccount(ctx, acc); err != nil {
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func TestFeedbackDeleteAllByAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	if has, err := svc.ReplyUnread(ctx, acc); err != nil || has {
 		t.Fatalf("reply unread after delete-all = %v (err %v)", has, err)
 	}
-	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "fresh", nil, "", "web", ""); err != nil {
+	if err := svc.Submit(ctx, acc, "fresh", nil, "", "web", "", "", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("submit after delete-all: %v", err)
 	}
 }

backend/internal/inttest/game_test.go

@@ -543,6 +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

@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func provisionAccount(t *testing.T) uuid.UUID {
 // provisionGuest creates a fresh ephemeral guest account and returns its id.
 func provisionGuest(t *testing.T) uuid.UUID {
 	t.Helper()
-	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionGuest(context.Background())
+	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionGuest(context.Background(), "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

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)
 	}
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestUserListFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision robot: %v", err)
 	}
-	guest, err := st.ProvisionGuest(ctx)
+	guest, err := st.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

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

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

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+-- Replace the default (house) ad campaign's single seed tip with the curated,
+-- language-agnostic Scrabble tip set (one bilingual row per tip; the client picks the
+-- column for the viewer's language). Data-only — the ad_messages schema is unchanged, so
+-- a backend image rollback stays DB-safe. The default campaign is the fixed house id seeded
+-- in 00001; ON DELETE CASCADE is irrelevant here (we only touch its messages).
+
+-- +goose Up
+DELETE FROM backend.ad_messages WHERE campaign_id = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad';
+INSERT INTO backend.ad_messages (message_id, campaign_id, "position", body_en, body_ru) VALUES
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 0, 'Keep a balanced rack — a slight edge of consonants over vowels.', 'Держи на руках баланс — с лёгким перевесом согласных над гласными.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 1, 'Your "leave" (the tiles you keep) sets up your next turn — value it.', '«Остаток» (что оставляешь на руках) готовит следующий ход — цени его.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 2, 'Shed duplicate tiles — repeats clog your options.', 'Сбрасывай дубли фишек — повторы забивают возможности.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 3, 'A slightly consonant-heavy rack builds full-rack plays more easily.', 'Лёгкий перевес согласных проще складывается в выкладку всех фишек.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 4, 'Play several tiles per turn to keep your rack cycling.', 'Выкладывай по нескольку фишек за ход, чтобы рука обновлялась.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 5, 'Don''t hoard hard-to-place duplicates or a lone high-value tile.', 'Не копи труднопристраиваемые дубли или одинокую дорогую фишку.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 6, 'Using all your rack tiles in one move scores a large bonus — chase it.', 'Выкладка всех фишек с рук за ход даёт крупный бонус — стремись к ней.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 7, 'Learn common prefixes and suffixes — they extend words to use every tile.', 'Учи частые приставки и суффиксы — они растягивают слово на все фишки.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 8, '"Fish": play few tiles to keep a near-complete rack when you''re ahead.', '«Рыбачь»: сыграй мало фишек, сохранив почти всю руку, когда ведёшь.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 9, 'Don''t hoard high-value tiles — play them in good time, not at the very end.', 'Не копи дорогие фишки — играй их вовремя, а не под самый конец.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 10, 'Don''t hold a high-value tile waiting for a rare partner — usually a loss.', 'Не держи дорогую фишку ради редкого партнёра — обычно это проигрыш.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 11, 'Land your priciest tile on a premium square for a big single score.', 'Сажай самую дорогую фишку на бонусную клетку ради крупных очков.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 12, 'High-value tiles shine in parallel plays through short words.', 'Дорогие фишки сильны в параллельных выкладках через короткие слова.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 13, 'Stuck with an unplayable high-value tile late? Exchange it.', 'Завис с неиграбельной дорогой фишкой под конец? Обменяй её.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 14, 'The blanks are the most valuable tiles in the bag — guard them.', 'Пустышки — самые ценные фишки в мешке; береги их.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 15, 'Save a blank for a full-rack play or a key premium square.', 'Береги пустышку для выкладки всех фишек или важной бонусной клетки.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 16, 'Don''t spend a blank cheaply — hold it for a much bigger gain.', 'Не трать пустышку по мелочи — придержи ради куда большей выгоды.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 17, 'Put high-value tiles on letter-bonus or word-bonus squares.', 'Клади дорогие фишки на бонус буквы или слова.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 18, 'Stack bonuses — a letter bonus under a word bonus multiplies both.', 'Совмещай бонусы — бонус буквы под бонусом слова умножает оба.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 19, 'Parallel plays can earn nearly half your points — look for them.', 'Параллельные выкладки могут давать почти половину очков — ищи их.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 20, 'A hook adds one tile to an existing word to make a new one.', '«Крючок» — одна фишка к готовому слову, образующая новое.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 21, 'Hooks work at the front or the back of a word.', 'Крючки работают спереди и сзади слова.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 22, 'Short words are the keys to tight parallel plays — memorize them.', 'Короткие слова — ключ к плотным параллелям; выучи их.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 23, 'Your opening word crosses the centre — keep it compact, don''t open up.', 'Первое слово идёт через центр — держи компактным, не раскрывайся.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 24, 'It''s not only your score — limit your opponent''s options too.', 'Это не только твои очки — ограничивай и возможности соперника.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 25, 'Denying a big reply often beats squeezing a few more points yourself.', 'Закрыть крупный ответ часто важнее, чем добрать пару своих очков.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 26, 'When ahead, keep the board tight and closed; avoid open lanes.', 'Ведёшь — держи доску плотной и закрытой, не открывай линии.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 27, 'When behind, open the board up to create high-scoring chances.', 'Отстаёшь — раскрывай доску ради шансов на крупный ход.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 28, 'Don''t leave a word-bonus square open right beside your word.', 'Не оставляй клетку бонуса слова открытой рядом со своим словом.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 29, 'Block a hot square even with a weak word to deny a big play.', 'Закрывай опасную клетку даже слабым словом, чтобы срубить крупный ход.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 30, 'Know words that take no hooks — use them to seal off lines.', 'Знай слова, не берущие крючков — ими запирай линии.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 31, 'Track the tiles played to judge what is still left in the bag.', 'Считай сыгранные фишки — так поймёшь, что осталось в мешке.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 32, 'Exchange when your rack is unbalanced or can only score low.', 'Меняй фишки, когда рука несбалансированна или тянет мало.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 33, 'A good exchange beats a bad play — a clean rack is worth a turn.', 'Хороший обмен лучше плохого хода — чистая рука стоит хода.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 34, 'Swap away a surplus of vowels or consonants to rebalance.', 'Сбрасывай в обмен избыток гласных или согласных, чтобы выровняться.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 35, 'Rare high-value tiles are gone once seen — note them as they appear.', 'Редкие дорогие фишки исчезают, едва мелькнув — отмечай их.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 36, 'Once the bag is empty, deduce your opponent''s remaining tiles.', 'Когда мешок пуст, вычисли оставшиеся фишки соперника.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 37, 'Shed high-value tiles before the bag empties — don''t get stuck with them.', 'Сбрось дорогие фишки до опустения мешка — не зависай с ними.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 38, 'Unplayed tiles count against you at the end — try to go out first.', 'Несыгранные фишки минусуют очки в конце — старайся выйти первым.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 39, 'Going out first adds your opponent''s leftover tiles to your score.', 'Кто вышел первым, добирает очки за оставшиеся фишки соперника.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 40, 'Sometimes leaving one tile in the bag buys you an extra turn.', 'Иногда оставить одну фишку в мешке — это лишний ход.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 41, 'In the endgame, block the exact squares your opponent needs.', 'В эндшпиле блокируй именно те клетки, что нужны сопернику.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 42, 'Shuffle your rack to spot new patterns.', 'Перемешивай фишки на руках — так замечаешь новые сочетания.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 43, 'Separate prefix, suffix and middle tiles to anagram faster.', 'Разнеси приставку, суффикс и середину — анаграммы решаются быстрее.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 44, 'Value board position and future turns over raw points this turn.', 'Цени позицию и будущие ходы выше сиюминутных очков.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 45, 'Early game build position; midgame maximize score; endgame defend.', 'В начале — позиция, в середине — очки, в конце — защита.'),
+    (gen_random_uuid(), '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 46, 'Learn the short-word lists first — they pay off in every game.', 'Сначала учи списки коротких слов — окупаются в каждой партии.');
+
+-- +goose Down
+-- Restore the original single house tip seeded by the baseline.
+DELETE FROM backend.ad_messages WHERE campaign_id = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad';
+INSERT INTO backend.ad_messages (message_id, campaign_id, "position", body_en, body_ru)
+VALUES ('00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000a1', '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000ad', 0,
+    'Tip: a play using all 7 tiles earns a +50 bonus.',
+    'Совет: ход всеми 7 фишками приносит бонус +50 очков.');

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

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+-- Capture the client app version (the build a report was sent from) with each feedback
+-- message, so the operator console can show which version a player was on. Nullable, so the
+-- rows that predate this keep working — additive and backward-compatible, so a backend image
+-- rollback stays DB-safe (older code simply ignores the column).
+
+-- +goose Up
+ALTER TABLE backend.feedback_messages ADD COLUMN app_version text;
+
+-- +goose Down
+ALTER TABLE backend.feedback_messages DROP COLUMN app_version;

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

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+-- Capture the client's detected UTC offset ("±HH:MM") with each feedback message, so the
+-- operator console can show the filed time in the sender's browser-local zone even before that
+-- player has ever saved a profile (the account zone defaults to UTC until then). Nullable, so the
+-- rows that predate this keep working — additive and backward-compatible, so a backend image
+-- rollback stays DB-safe (older code simply ignores the column).
+
+-- +goose Up
+ALTER TABLE backend.feedback_messages ADD COLUMN browser_tz text;
+
+-- +goose Down
+ALTER TABLE backend.feedback_messages DROP COLUMN browser_tz;

backend/internal/server/chataccess.go

@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/notify"
+)
+
+// chatAccessRequest is the gateway's chat write-eligibility query, addressed either
+// by Telegram identity (ExternalID — the join path, when the bot sees a user enter
+// the chat) or by account id (UserID — the change path, resolving an emitted
+// chat-access-changed event). Exactly one field is set.
+type chatAccessRequest struct {
+	ExternalID string `json:"external_id"`
+	UserID     string `json:"user_id"`
+}
+
+// chatAccessResponse is the resolved eligibility. ExternalID echoes the account's
+// Telegram identity (empty when it has none — the gateway then has nothing to gate);
+// Registered reports whether the lookup found an account at all; Eligible is the
+// final gate the bot applies (registered and neither admin-suspended nor chat-muted).
+type chatAccessResponse struct {
+	ExternalID string `json:"external_id"`
+	Registered bool   `json:"registered"`
+	Eligible   bool   `json:"eligible"`
+}
+
+// handleChatAccess resolves whether a Telegram user may write in the moderated
+// discussion chat. It is gateway-internal: the gateway's bot-link serves the bot's
+// join-time query (by external_id) and resolves an emitted chat-access-changed event
+// (by user_id) through it.
+func (s *Server) handleChatAccess(c *gin.Context) {
+	var req chatAccessRequest
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&req); err != nil {
+		abortBadRequest(c, "invalid body")
+		return
+	}
+	switch {
+	case req.ExternalID != "":
+		s.respondChatAccessByExternalID(c, req.ExternalID)
+	case req.UserID != "":
+		s.respondChatAccessByUserID(c, req.UserID)
+	default:
+		abortBadRequest(c, "external_id or user_id required")
+	}
+}
+
+// respondChatAccessByExternalID answers the join-path query: an unknown identity is
+// reported unregistered (and left muted); a known one carries its current eligibility.
+func (s *Server) respondChatAccessByExternalID(c *gin.Context, externalID string) {
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+	resp := chatAccessResponse{ExternalID: externalID}
+	acc, err := s.accounts.AccountByIdentity(ctx, account.KindTelegram, externalID)
+	if errors.Is(err, account.ErrNotFound) {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusOK, resp)
+		return
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		s.abortErr(c, err)
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Registered = true
+	eligible, err := s.chatEligible(ctx, acc.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.abortErr(c, err)
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Eligible = eligible
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, resp)
+}
+
+// respondChatAccessByUserID answers the change-path query: an account with no
+// Telegram identity carries an empty external_id (nothing for the gateway to gate);
+// otherwise it carries the identity and the current eligibility.
+func (s *Server) respondChatAccessByUserID(c *gin.Context, raw string) {
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+	uid, err := uuid.Parse(raw)
+	if err != nil {
+		abortBadRequest(c, "invalid user_id")
+		return
+	}
+	var resp chatAccessResponse
+	ext, err := s.accounts.IdentityExternalID(ctx, uid, account.KindTelegram)
+	if errors.Is(err, account.ErrNotFound) {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusOK, resp)
+		return
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		s.abortErr(c, err)
+		return
+	}
+	resp.ExternalID = ext
+	resp.Registered = true
+	eligible, err := s.chatEligible(ctx, uid)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.abortErr(c, err)
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Eligible = eligible
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, resp)
+}
+
+// chatEligible reports whether the account may write in the moderated discussion
+// chat: not currently admin-suspended and not holding the chat_muted role. A
+// suspension dominates — it mutes regardless of the role. Registration is established
+// by the caller's identity lookup.
+func (s *Server) chatEligible(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID) (bool, error) {
+	if _, blocked, err := s.accounts.CurrentSuspension(ctx, accountID); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	} else if blocked {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	muted, err := s.accounts.HasRole(ctx, accountID, account.RoleChatMuted)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return !muted, nil
+}
+
+// publishChatAccessChange emits the chat-access-changed signal for the account, so
+// the gateway re-resolves the player's chat eligibility and pushes the chat-gate
+// command to the bot. Best-effort (notify.Nop when no notifier is wired).
+func (s *Server) publishChatAccessChange(id uuid.UUID) {
+	s.notifier.Publish(notify.ChatAccessChanged(id))
+}

backend/internal/server/handlers.go

@@ -37,11 +37,23 @@ func (s *Server) registerRoutes() {
 		// before delivering an out-of-app notification.
 		in.POST("/push-target", s.handlePushTarget)
 	}
+	if s.accounts != nil {
+		// Moderated-chat write eligibility for the Telegram bot: resolve a Telegram
+		// identity (the bot's join-time query) or an account id (a chat-access-changed
+		// event) to whether the user may write in the discussion chat. It needs only the
+		// account store, not the session service, so it registers independently.
+		s.internal.POST("/chat-access", s.handleChatAccess)
+	}
 	if s.ratewatch != nil {
 		// The gateway's periodic rate-limiter rejection summary: feeds the
 		// admin console's throttled view and the high-rate auto-flag.
 		s.internal.POST("/ratelimit/report", s.handleRateLimitReport)
 	}
+	if s.banview != nil {
+		// The gateway's periodic active-ban sync: feeds the admin console's
+		// active-bans panel and returns the operator's pending unbans.
+		s.internal.POST("/bans/sync", s.handleBanSync)
+	}
 	u := s.user
 	if s.accounts != nil {
 		u.GET("/profile", s.handleProfile)

backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go

@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ func (s *Server) registerConsole(router *gin.Engine) {
 	gm.POST("/reasons/:id/update", s.consoleUpdateReason)
 	gm.POST("/reasons/:id/delete", s.consoleDeleteReason)
 	gm.GET("/throttled", s.consoleThrottled)
+	gm.POST("/bans/unban", s.consoleUnban)
 	gm.GET("/games", s.consoleGames)
 	gm.GET("/games/:id", s.consoleGameDetail)
 	gm.GET("/complaints", s.consoleComplaints)
@@ -874,6 +875,13 @@ func (s *Server) consoleThrottled(c *gin.Context) {
 			view.Episodes = append(view.Episodes, row)
 		}
 	}
+	if s.banview != nil {
+		for _, b := range s.banview.Recent() {
+			view.Bans = append(view.Bans, adminconsole.BanRow{
+				IP: b.IP, Reason: b.Reason, Since: fmtTime(b.Since), Expires: fmtTime(b.Expires),
+			})
+		}
+	}
 	flagged, err := s.accounts.ListFlaggedHighRate(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.consoleError(c, err)
@@ -887,6 +895,21 @@ func (s *Server) consoleThrottled(c *gin.Context) {
 	s.renderConsole(c, "throttled", "throttled", "Throttled", view)
 }
 
+// consoleUnban lifts a temporary IP ban — the operator's manual override. The
+// gateway applies it on its next active-ban sync, so the ban clears within the
+// sync interval rather than immediately.
+func (s *Server) consoleUnban(c *gin.Context) {
+	ip := trimForm(c, "ip")
+	if ip == "" {
+		s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Invalid", "an IP address is required", "/_gm/throttled")
+		return
+	}
+	if s.banview != nil {
+		s.banview.RequestUnban(ip)
+	}
+	s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Unban requested", fmt.Sprintf("%s will be unbanned on the next gateway sync", ip), "/_gm/throttled")
+}
+
 // consoleClearHighRateFlag clears the soft high-rate marker — the operator's
 // reversible review action.
 func (s *Server) consoleClearHighRateFlag(c *gin.Context) {
@@ -964,6 +987,9 @@ func (s *Server) consoleBlockUser(c *gin.Context) {
 		s.consoleError(c, err)
 		return
 	}
+	// Re-evaluate the player's moderated-chat write access: a block mutes them in
+	// the discussion chat if they are currently in it.
+	s.publishChatAccessChange(id)
 	s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Blocked", fmt.Sprintf("account blocked; %d game(s) forfeited", forfeited), back)
 }
 
@@ -978,6 +1004,9 @@ func (s *Server) consoleUnblockUser(c *gin.Context) {
 		s.consoleError(c, err)
 		return
 	}
+	// Re-evaluate the player's moderated-chat write access: an unblock restores it
+	// (unless they are still chat-muted) for a member currently in the chat.
+	s.publishChatAccessChange(id)
 	s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Unblocked", "the block was lifted; lost games are not restored", "/_gm/users/"+id.String())
 }
 
@@ -1169,6 +1198,17 @@ func fmtTime(t time.Time) string {
 	return t.UTC().Format("2006-01-02 15:04")
 }
 
+// fmtTimeIn formats a timestamp in the given zone — a "±HH:MM" offset or an IANA name, resolved
+// by account.ResolveZone (falling back to UTC when empty or unknown) — or "" when zero. Used to
+// show a time in a user's local zone beside UTC; the offset form is what the profile editor and
+// the feedback browser-tz snapshot store, so it must not go through time.LoadLocation alone.
+func fmtTimeIn(t time.Time, tz string) string {
+	if t.IsZero() {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return t.In(account.ResolveZone(tz)).Format("2006-01-02 15:04")
+}
+
 // fmtTimePtr formats an optional timestamp for display, or "" when nil.
 func fmtTimePtr(t *time.Time) string {
 	if t == nil {

backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_feedback.go

@@ -77,6 +77,17 @@ func (s *Server) consoleFeedbackDetail(c *gin.Context) {
 		s.consoleError(c, err)
 		return
 	}
+	// Filed time in three zones so the operator can tell what is certainly known from what is
+	// merely defaulted: always UTC; the client's offset detected at submit (when the build
+	// reported one); and the sender's saved profile zone (when set beyond the UTC default). An
+	// empty rendered time makes the template show "N/A" for that line.
+	browserCreated, userCreated := "", ""
+	if m.BrowserTZ != "" {
+		browserCreated = fmtTimeIn(m.CreatedAt, m.BrowserTZ)
+	}
+	if m.TimeZone != "" && m.TimeZone != "UTC" {
+		userCreated = fmtTimeIn(m.CreatedAt, m.TimeZone)
+	}
 	view := adminconsole.FeedbackDetailView{
 		ID: m.ID.String(), AccountID: m.AccountID.String(), SenderName: m.SenderName,
 		Source: m.Source, Channel: m.Channel, InterfaceLanguage: m.Lang,
@@ -84,6 +95,9 @@ func (s *Server) consoleFeedbackDetail(c *gin.Context) {
 		HasAttachment: m.HasAttachment, AttachmentName: m.AttachmentName, IsImage: feedback.IsImage(m.AttachmentName),
 		Read: m.Read, Archived: m.Archived, Replied: m.Replied, ReplyBody: m.ReplyBody,
 		RepliedAt: fmtTime(m.RepliedAt), CreatedAt: fmtTime(m.CreatedAt),
+		Version:          m.Version,
+		CreatedAtBrowser: browserCreated, BrowserTZ: m.BrowserTZ,
+		CreatedAtUser: userCreated, UserTZ: m.TimeZone,
 	}
 	if banned, err := s.accounts.HasRole(ctx, m.AccountID, account.RoleFeedbackBanned); err == nil {
 		view.Banned = banned
@@ -248,6 +262,9 @@ func (s *Server) consoleGrantRole(c *gin.Context) {
 	if role == account.RoleNoBanner {
 		s.publishBannerChange(id)
 	}
+	if role == account.RoleChatMuted {
+		s.publishChatAccessChange(id)
+	}
 	s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Role granted", "granted "+role, back)
 }
 
@@ -270,6 +287,9 @@ func (s *Server) consoleRevokeRole(c *gin.Context) {
 	if role == account.RoleNoBanner {
 		s.publishBannerChange(id)
 	}
+	if role == account.RoleChatMuted {
+		s.publishChatAccessChange(id)
+	}
 	s.renderConsoleMessage(c, "Role revoked", "revoked "+role, back)
 }
 

backend/internal/server/handlers_auth.go

@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ import (
 
 // telegramAuthRequest carries the identity the connector extracted from a
 // validated initData payload. Username, FirstName and LanguageCode seed a
-// brand-new account's display name and language (first contact only).
+// brand-new account's display name and language; BrowserTZ (the client's detected
+// "±HH:MM" UTC offset) seeds its time zone (first contact only).
 type telegramAuthRequest struct {
 	ExternalID   string `json:"external_id"`
 	Username     string `json:"username"`
 	FirstName    string `json:"first_name"`
 	LanguageCode string `json:"language_code"`
+	BrowserTZ    string `json:"browser_tz"`
 }
 
 // handleTelegramAuth provisions (or finds) the account bound to a Telegram
@@ -35,11 +37,17 @@ func (s *Server) handleTelegramAuth(c *gin.Context) {
 		abortBadRequest(c, "external_id is required")
 		return
 	}
-	acc, err := s.accounts.ProvisionTelegram(c.Request.Context(), req.ExternalID, req.LanguageCode, req.Username, req.FirstName)
+	acc, created, err := s.accounts.ProvisionTelegram(c.Request.Context(), req.ExternalID, req.LanguageCode, req.Username, req.FirstName, req.BrowserTZ)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.abortErr(c, err)
 		return
 	}
+	if created {
+		// First registration: re-evaluate moderated-chat write access, so a user who
+		// joined the chat before registering is granted on the spot (no chat_member
+		// event fires on registration).
+		s.publishChatAccessChange(acc.ID)
+	}
 	s.mintSession(c, acc)
 }
 
@@ -91,9 +99,21 @@ func (s *Server) handlePushTarget(c *gin.Context) {
 	})
 }
 
-// handleGuestAuth provisions a fresh ephemeral guest account and mints a session.
+// guestAuthRequest carries the guest bootstrap's optional time-zone seed: BrowserTZ
+// (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) is written to the new guest account's
+// time zone, so robot timing is anchored to the player's zone from the first game.
+type guestAuthRequest struct {
+	BrowserTZ string `json:"browser_tz"`
+}
+
+// handleGuestAuth provisions a fresh ephemeral guest account and mints a session,
+// seeding its time zone from the optional detected browser offset.
 func (s *Server) handleGuestAuth(c *gin.Context) {
-	acc, err := s.accounts.ProvisionGuest(c.Request.Context())
+	// The body is optional: an absent or malformed one simply yields no time-zone seed
+	// (the account keeps the UTC default), so a bind error must not fail the bootstrap.
+	var req guestAuthRequest
+	_ = c.ShouldBindJSON(&req)
+	acc, err := s.accounts.ProvisionGuest(c.Request.Context(), req.BrowserTZ)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.abortErr(c, err)
 		return
@@ -101,9 +121,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleGuestAuth(c *gin.Context) {
 	s.mintSession(c, acc)
 }
 
-// emailRequest is an email-login code request.
+// emailRequest is an email-login code request. BrowserTZ (the client's detected
+// "±HH:MM" UTC offset) seeds the time zone of an account provisioned here on first
+// contact (the email account is created at the request step, not at login).
 type emailRequest struct {
-	Email string `json:"email"`
+	Email     string `json:"email"`
+	BrowserTZ string `json:"browser_tz"`
 }
 
 // handleEmailRequest issues a login confirm-code to the email. It always reports
@@ -115,7 +138,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleEmailRequest(c *gin.Context) {
 		abortBadRequest(c, "email is required")
 		return
 	}
-	if _, err := s.emails.RequestLoginCode(c.Request.Context(), req.Email); err != nil {
+	if _, err := s.emails.RequestLoginCode(c.Request.Context(), req.Email, req.BrowserTZ); err != nil {
 		s.abortErr(c, err)
 		return
 	}

backend/internal/server/handlers_bans.go

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/banview"
+)
+
+// banSyncRequest mirrors the gateway's active-ban report: every entry is one
+// currently-enforced IP ban.
+type banSyncRequest struct {
+	Active []banSyncEntry `json:"active"`
+}
+
+// banSyncEntry is one active ban in the sync request.
+type banSyncEntry struct {
+	IP      string    `json:"ip"`
+	Reason  string    `json:"reason"`
+	Since   time.Time `json:"since"`
+	Expires time.Time `json:"expires"`
+}
+
+// banSyncResponse returns the IPs an operator has marked for unban for the gateway
+// to apply on its next sync.
+type banSyncResponse struct {
+	Unban []string `json:"unban"`
+}
+
+// handleBanSync ingests the gateway's active-ban report into the ban view (the
+// admin console's active-bans panel) and returns the operator's pending unbans.
+// Internal, gateway-only: like the rate-limit report it trusts the network
+// segment and carries no user identity.
+func (s *Server) handleBanSync(c *gin.Context) {
+	var req banSyncRequest
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&req); err != nil {
+		abortBadRequest(c, "invalid ban sync")
+		return
+	}
+	bans := make([]banview.Ban, 0, len(req.Active))
+	for _, e := range req.Active {
+		bans = append(bans, banview.Ban{IP: e.IP, Reason: e.Reason, Since: e.Since, Expires: e.Expires})
+	}
+	s.banview.Ingest(bans)
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, banSyncResponse{Unban: s.banview.DrainUnbans()})
+}

backend/internal/server/handlers_feedback.go

@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ type feedbackSubmitRequest struct {
 	Attachment     string `json:"attachment"`
 	AttachmentName string `json:"attachment_name"`
 	Channel        string `json:"channel"`
+	// Version is the client's app version (pkg/version / the SPA build), snapshotted so the
+	// operator sees which build a report came from.
+	Version string `json:"version"`
+	// BrowserTZ is the client's detected UTC offset ("±HH:MM") at submit, so the operator can
+	// see the filed time in the sender's local zone even before they save a profile.
+	BrowserTZ string `json:"browser_tz"`
 }
 
 // feedbackReplyDTO is the operator's reply shown back to the player.
@@ -61,7 +67,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleFeedbackSubmit(c *gin.Context) {
 		}
 		attachment = data
 	}
-	if err := s.feedback.Submit(c.Request.Context(), uid, req.Body, attachment, req.AttachmentName, req.Channel, clientIP(c)); err != nil {
+	if err := s.feedback.Submit(c.Request.Context(), uid, req.Body, attachment, req.AttachmentName, req.Channel, req.Version, req.BrowserTZ, clientIP(c)); err != nil {
 		s.abortErr(c, err)
 		return
 	}

backend/internal/server/server.go

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 // Package server wires the backend's HTTP listener: the gin engine, its route
 // groups, the per-request telemetry middleware and the start/stop lifecycle.
 //
-// The /api/v1 route groups (public, user, internal, admin) are created here so
+// The /api/v1 route groups (public, user, internal, admin) attach their endpoints
-// later stages attach their endpoints to a stable structure; the /user group
+// to a stable structure; the /user group requires the X-User-ID identity header.
-// requires the X-User-ID identity header. The probes /healthz (liveness) and
+// The probes /healthz (liveness) and /readyz (database + session-cache readiness)
-// /readyz (database + session-cache readiness) are unauthenticated.
+// are unauthenticated.
 package server
 
 import (
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/account"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/adminconsole"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/ads"
+	"scrabble/backend/internal/banview"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/connector"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/engine"
 	"scrabble/backend/internal/feedback"
@@ -83,6 +84,10 @@ type Deps struct {
 	// admin console's throttled view + the high-rate auto-flag. A nil RateWatch
 	// disables the internal report endpoint and the console view.
 	RateWatch *ratewatch.Watch
+	// BanView mirrors the gateway's active IP bans for the admin console and
+	// collects operator unban requests. A nil BanView disables the internal
+	// ban-sync endpoint and the console's active-bans panel.
+	BanView *banview.View
 	// Ads is the advertising-banner domain service: campaign rotation feeding the
 	// profile.get banner block, plus the banner admin console section. A nil Ads
 	// omits the banner block and disables the banner console.
@@ -115,6 +120,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	dictDir     string
 	connector   *connector.Client
 	ratewatch   *ratewatch.Watch
+	banview     *banview.View
 	ads         *ads.Service
 	notifier    notify.Publisher
 	console     *adminconsole.Renderer
@@ -164,6 +170,7 @@ func New(addr string, deps Deps) *Server {
 		dictDir:       deps.DictDir,
 		connector:     deps.Connector,
 		ratewatch:     deps.RateWatch,
+		banview:       deps.BanView,
 		ads:           deps.Ads,
 		notifier:      notifier,
 		http:          &http.Server{Addr: addr, Handler: engine},
@@ -238,7 +245,7 @@ func (s *Server) Invitations() *lobby.InvitationService { return s.invitations }
 func (s *Server) Emails() *account.EmailService { return s.emails }
 
 // Handler returns the underlying HTTP handler. It lets tests drive the server
-// without binding a socket and lets later stages compose the backend behind
+// without binding a socket and lets callers compose the backend behind
 // another listener.
 func (s *Server) Handler() http.Handler { return s.http.Handler }
 

backend/internal/session/service.go

@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Service mints, resolves, and revokes sessions over the store and the
-// write-through cache. The gateway is its only caller (from a later stage); the
+// write-through cache. The gateway is its only caller.
-// HTTP surface is wired then.
 type Service struct {
 	store *Store
 	cache *Cache

backend/internal/social/social.go

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 // in as a message kind. It owns the friendships, blocks and chat_messages tables,
 // reads the account-level block toggles through account.Store, and gates chat and
 // nudge on game state through a GameReader so it never imports the engine. The
-// live delivery of chat and nudges (push / in-app stream) belongs to the gateway
+// live delivery of chat and nudges (push / in-app stream) belongs to the gateway;
-// in a later stage; this package only persists and reads them.
+// this package only persists and reads them.
 package social
 
 import (

deploy/.env.example

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ POSTGRES_PASSWORD=change-me            # required
 # the active version lives in the DB. On a live volume a changed value is ignored (the
 # recorded .seed_version marker wins — the seed-drift guard); change a running
 # contour's dictionary through /_gm/dictionary (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
-DICT_VERSION=v1.2.1
+DICT_VERSION=v1.3.0
 
 # --- Logging ----------------------------------------------------------------
 LOG_LEVEL=info
@@ -38,10 +38,18 @@ VITE_GATEWAY_URL=
 GRAFANA_ROOT_URL=/_gm/grafana/         # set the full https URL behind a real domain
 GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=admin
 
-# --- Telegram connector -----------------------------------------------------
+# --- Telegram validator + bot -----------------------------------------------
-AWG_CONF=                              # required; AmneziaWG sidecar config
+# The token is shared: the validator uses it as the HMAC secret, the bot for the
+# Bot API. The bot-link wiring (validator/relay/mTLS addresses) is hard-wired in
+# docker-compose.yml; the mTLS material is NOT here — run `deploy/gen-certs.sh`
+# (writes deploy/certs/, gitignored) before `docker compose up`.
+AWG_CONF=                              # required; AmneziaWG sidecar config (the bot's Telegram egress)
 TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=                    # required
 TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID=
+TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID=                      # moderated discussion chat (channel's linked group); empty disables gating
+TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN=             # optional standalone promo bot token; empty disables it
+TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME=               # main bot @username without the @ (promo message); required when the promo token is set
+TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK=                    # main bot Mini App link for the promo button (reuse VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK); required when the promo token is set
 TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL=                  # required
 TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV=false
 TELEGRAM_API_BASE_URL=

deploy/README.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # deploy
 
 The full Scrabble contour: `backend` + `gateway` + the static `landing` + Postgres +
-the Telegram connector (with a VPN sidecar) + the observability stack (OTel
+the Telegram `validator` + `bot` (the bot with a VPN sidecar) + the observability stack
-Collector → Prometheus + Tempo → Grafana), fronted by a **caddy** that owns a single
+(OTel Collector → Prometheus + Tempo → Grafana), fronted by a **caddy** that owns a single
 `/_gm` Basic-Auth (the admin console + Grafana). Topology and the decision record are in
 [`../docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`](../docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) §13; this file is the
 operational reference for **every environment variable**.
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ operational reference for **every environment variable**.
 | `landing` | built (`gateway/Dockerfile`, target `landing`) | Static landing page at `/` (caddy:2-alpine + the shared Vite build, `deploy/landing/Caddyfile`); absorbs stray public paths. |
 | `backend` | built (`backend/Dockerfile`) | Domain service; bakes in the DAWG dictionaries; runs migrations at boot. |
 | `postgres` | `postgres:17-alpine` | Database (named volume, `pg_isready` healthcheck). |
-| `vpn` + `telegram` | sidecar + built (`platform/telegram/Dockerfile`) | Telegram connector; egresses through the AmneziaWG sidecar; internal gRPC at `telegram:9091`. |
+| `validator` | built (`platform/telegram/Dockerfile`, target `validator`) | Telegram HMAC validator (no VPN, no Bot API); internal gRPC at `validator:9091`. Game login depends only on this. |
+| `vpn` + `bot` | sidecar + built (`platform/telegram/Dockerfile`, target `bot`) | Telegram bot, gated to the **`telegram-local`** profile; egresses through the AmneziaWG sidecar and dials the gateway bot-link (mTLS) at `gateway:9443`. The test contour activates the profile; the prod **main** host omits it and runs the bot standalone on its **own host** (`docker-compose.bot.yml`, no VPN — native Bot API egress). |
 | `otelcol` | `otel/opentelemetry-collector-contrib` | OTLP/gRPC `:4317` → Prometheus scrape (`:9464`) + Tempo. |
-| `prometheus` | `prom/prometheus` | Metrics, 15d retention. |
+| `prometheus` | `prom/prometheus` | Metrics, 15d retention (7d in prod). |
 | `tempo` | `grafana/tempo` | Traces, 72h retention. |
 | `grafana` | `grafana/grafana` | Dashboards (provisioned), anonymous-admin behind caddy's `/_gm/grafana`. |
+| `node_exporter` | `quay.io/prometheus/node-exporter` | Host CPU/memory/disk metrics (Prometheus job `node`); the OOM signal on the tight prod main host (2 vCPU / 1.9 GiB). |
 
 Networking: inter-service traffic is on the private `internal` network
 (project-scoped DNS); only `caddy` joins the shared external `edge` network so the
@@ -58,12 +60,19 @@ compose binds from this directory.
 | Variable | Gitea kind | Purpose |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | `POSTGRES_PASSWORD` | secret | Postgres password (also embedded in `BACKEND_POSTGRES_DSN`). |
-| `AWG_CONF` | secret | AmneziaWG config for the VPN sidecar (the connector's only egress). **Must not contain a `DNS=` line** — it hijacks the shared netns's resolv.conf and breaks the connector resolving `otelcol` (telemetry export). Without it, Docker's resolver handles both `otelcol` and `api.telegram.org`. |
 | `GM_BASICAUTH_HASH` | secret | bcrypt hash gating `/_gm` (admin console + Grafana). Generate with `docker run --rm caddy:2-alpine caddy hash-password --plaintext '<pw>'`. |
-| `TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL` | variable | The Mini App URL the connector hands out in deep links / buttons. |
+| `TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL` | variable | The Mini App URL the bot hands out in deep links / buttons. |
 
-**Plus the bot token** — `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN` (secret). It defaults to empty in
+**Plus the bot token** — `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN` (secret), shared by the validator (HMAC
-compose, but the connector **fails at boot** when it is empty.
+secret) and the bot (Bot API). It defaults to empty in compose, but both **fail at
+boot** when it is empty.
+
+**Conditionally — `AWG_CONF`** (secret): the AmneziaWG config for the VPN sidecar, needed
+only when the `telegram-local` profile runs (the test contour and local runs with the
+bot). It is **not** `:?`-guarded — compose interpolates profiled-out services too, so the
+prod main host (no VPN) must not require it. It **must not contain a `DNS=` line** — that
+hijacks the shared netns's resolv.conf and breaks the bot resolving `otelcol` / `gateway`;
+without it Docker's resolver handles `otelcol`, `gateway` and `api.telegram.org`.
 
 ## Optional variables (with defaults)
 
@@ -71,8 +80,8 @@ compose, but the connector **fails at boot** when it is empty.
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | `POSTGRES_DB` | variable | `scrabble` | Database name. |
 | `POSTGRES_USER` | variable | `scrabble` | Database user. |
-| `DICT_VERSION` | variable | `v1.2.1` | `scrabble-dictionary` release tag baked into the backend image as the **seed for a fresh volume** (build-arg). A live contour changes dictionary through the admin console, not this; on a seeded volume a changed value is ignored (the recorded `.seed_version` marker wins — the seed-drift guard, ARCHITECTURE.md §5). Set per contour as `TEST_`/`PROD_DICT_VERSION`. |
+| `DICT_VERSION` | variable | `v1.3.0` | `scrabble-dictionary` release tag baked into the backend image as the **seed for a fresh volume** (build-arg). A live contour changes dictionary through the admin console, not this; on a seeded volume a changed value is ignored (the recorded `.seed_version` marker wins — the seed-drift guard, ARCHITECTURE.md §5). Set per contour as `TEST_`/`PROD_DICT_VERSION`. |
-| `LOG_LEVEL` | variable | `info` | Shared log level for backend / gateway / connector (`debug\|info\|warn\|error`). |
+| `LOG_LEVEL` | variable | `info` | Shared log level for backend / gateway / validator / bot (`debug\|info\|warn\|error`). |
 | `CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS` | variable | `:80` | Caddy site address. Test: `:80` (host caddy terminates TLS). Prod: a domain, so caddy does its own ACME. |
 | `GM_BASICAUTH_USER` | variable | `gm` | Username for the `/_gm` Basic-Auth. |
 | `GRAFANA_ROOT_URL` | variable | `/_gm/grafana/` | Grafana root URL (sub-path serving). Set the full `https://<domain>/_gm/grafana/` behind a real domain. |
@@ -95,14 +104,101 @@ These are hard-wired in `docker-compose.yml` (no `${...}`), pointing the service
 at each other on the `internal` network — listed here so they are not mistaken for
 missing config: `BACKEND_POSTGRES_DSN` (→ `postgres`, `search_path=backend`),
 `GATEWAY_BACKEND_HTTP_URL`/`_GRPC_ADDR` (→ `backend`),
-`GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR`/`BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR` (→ `telegram:9091`), and all three
+`GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR` (→ `validator:9091`), `BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR` (→ the gateway
-services' `*_OTEL_*_EXPORTER=otlp` → `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=http://otelcol:4317`
+bot-link relay `gateway:9092`), the bot's `TELEGRAM_GATEWAY_ADDR` (→ `gateway:9443`,
-(`_INSECURE=true`). The connector shares the VPN sidecar's netns: routing to the
+mTLS) with the `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_*` / `TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_*` cert paths under `/certs` (the
-collector's internal IP is fine (connected route), but its `AWG_CONF` must **not**
+mTLS material is generated by `deploy/gen-certs.sh`, gitignored, regenerated each
-set a `DNS=` directive — that hijacks resolv.conf and breaks resolving `otelcol`
+deploy), and all services' `*_OTEL_*_EXPORTER=otlp` →
-("produced zero addresses"); without it the netns uses Docker's resolver, which
+`OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=http://otelcol:4317`
-resolves both `otelcol` and `api.telegram.org`. `GATEWAY_ADMIN_*` is intentionally
+(`_INSECURE=true`). The bot shares the VPN sidecar's netns: routing to the
-**unset** — caddy owns `/_gm` in the contour.
+collector's / gateway's internal IP is fine (connected route), but its `AWG_CONF` must
+**not** set a `DNS=` directive — that hijacks resolv.conf and breaks resolving `otelcol`
+/ `gateway` ("produced zero addresses"); without it the netns uses Docker's resolver,
+which resolves `otelcol`, `gateway` and `api.telegram.org`. `GATEWAY_ADMIN_*` is
+intentionally **unset** — caddy owns `/_gm` in the contour.
+
+## Bumping the dictionary version
+
+The dictionary ships as a versioned **release artifact** (`scrabble-dawg-vX.Y.Z.tar.gz`) from
+[`scrabble-dictionary`](https://gitea.iliadenisov.ru/developer/scrabble-dictionary). The tag is
+a build-time input with **no default** in the images, so it is set in exactly two places to
+move the whole stack — change both to a new release:
+
+1. **CI tests** — `.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml` `env.DICT_VERSION` (the unit/integration jobs
+   download that dawg).
+2. **Deploy seed** — the Gitea repo variables `TEST_DICT_VERSION` / `PROD_DICT_VERSION` (the tag
+   the deploy bakes into a **fresh** volume's image; the deploy job feeds it to `compose` as
+   `DICT_VERSION`).
+
+For local builds set `DICT_VERSION` in `deploy/.env` (template: `.env.example`); a bare
+`docker build` needs `--build-arg DICT_VERSION=vX.Y.Z`. The Dockerfiles and `compose` carry no
+default — a missing value fails loudly instead of baking a stale tag.
+
+Bumping the seed is a **no-op on a live volume** (the `.seed_version` marker wins — the
+seed-drift guard). A running contour/prod moves to a new release **through the admin console**
+`/_gm/dictionary` (upload the tarball, preview the per-variant diff, confirm); in-flight games
+keep their pinned version, new games use the new one (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
+
+## Production rollout
+
+Prod runs on **two hosts** (main = full stack + ACME on the domain; tg = the bot only,
+native Bot API, no VPN), one-time provisioned by **[`ansible/`](ansible/)** (docker, a
+non-sudo `deploy` user holding the CI key, key-only sshd, default-deny ufw, fail2ban).
+Re-run `ansible/` after a host resize — it is idempotent.
+
+**To roll out:** merge `development → master` (CI green), then run the **`prod-deploy`**
+workflow manually (Gitea → Actions → prod-deploy → run from `master`, input
+`confirm=deploy`). It builds + pushes the images to the registry, ships the
+compose/config/certs/env over SSH, deploys the main host with `prod-deploy.sh` (rolling,
+health-gated, **auto-rollback to the previous tag**; caddy is force-recreated on its roll so
+a bind-mounted `Caddyfile` change applies — its image is pinned and admin is off, so neither a
+new tag nor a hot reload would pick it up), then the bot host, then probes the
+public site. After `master` is green this workflow is the **only** thing that touches
+prod — nothing auto-deploys there. It runs four visible jobs: **build → deploy-main →
+deploy-bot → verify** (the per-service rolling shows in the deploy-main log).
+
+**Versioning.** Each release is a git tag `vX.Y.Z` on `master`; the deploy stamps
+`git describe --tags` into every image tag, every binary (`-ldflags` → `pkg/version` →
+the `service.version` telemetry attribute) and the SPA About screen. Tag the release
+before running the deploy:
+
+```sh
+git tag -a v1.0.0 -m v1.0.0 && git push origin v1.0.0
+```
+
+**Manual rollback** (any time after a successful deploy). Run the **`prod-rollback`**
+workflow (Gitea → Actions → prod-rollback, `confirm=rollback`). Leave `target_version`
+blank to roll back to the previously deployed version (read from the host's
+`PREVIOUS_TAG`), or set it to a release tag from the **Releases** page. It re-deploys
+that already-published image rolling + health-gated — no rebuild, no DB migration
+(image rollback is DB-safe under the expand-contract rule). The registry keeps every
+release tag, so any prior release is reachable.
+
+**Migrations** must be **expand-contract** (backward-compatible; goose is forward-only):
+the automatic rollback is image-only and never restores the DB. A deploy that changes
+`backend/internal/postgres/migrations/` opens a maintenance window — the backend (sole
+writer) is stopped for a consistent `pg_dump` into `/opt/scrabble/dumps` before the new
+backend migrates. **Manual DB restore** (only if a migration was destructive):
+`docker exec -i scrabble-postgres psql -U scrabble -d scrabble -c 'DROP SCHEMA backend CASCADE'`,
+then pipe the dump into the same `psql`, and redeploy the matching old tag.
+
+**bot-link cert rotation:** regenerate (`deploy/gen-certs.sh /tmp/c --force`), reset the
+five `PROD_BOTLINK_*` secrets from `/tmp/c`, and re-run the workflow — both hosts redeploy
+together with the fresh CA.
+
+**Sizing / monitoring:** the main host launches undersized (2 vCPU / 1.9 GiB); the prod
+overlay trims limits + `GOMAXPROCS=2` + 7d Prometheus retention, and `node_exporter` feeds
+host memory to Grafana (`/_gm/grafana/`). Watch host memory and resize at Selectel when
+players arrive.
+
+**`PROD_` Gitea set** (mirrors `TEST_`, mapped onto the unprefixed names above) — secrets:
+`PROD_{POSTGRES_PASSWORD, GM_BASICAUTH_HASH, GRAFANA_ADMIN_PASSWORD, TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN,
+TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN, REGISTRY_PASSWORD, SSH_KEY, SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS, BOTLINK_CA,
+BOTLINK_GATEWAY_CERT, BOTLINK_GATEWAY_KEY, BOTLINK_BOT_CERT, BOTLINK_BOT_KEY}`; variables:
+`PROD_{REGISTRY_USER, MAIN_HOST, TG_HOST, CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS, GM_BASICAUTH_USER,
+GRAFANA_ROOT_URL, LOG_LEVEL, DICT_VERSION, TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL, TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID,
+TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID, TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME, VITE_TELEGRAM_BOT_ID, VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK,
+VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME}`.
 
 ## Host-side setup (outside this repo)
 

deploy/ansible/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# Prod host provisioning
+
+Idempotent Ansible that prepares the two production hosts. It installs Docker, a
+non-sudo `deploy` service account, SSH hardening, a default-deny firewall,
+fail2ban, unattended security upgrades and time sync. It does **not** deploy the
+application — that is `.gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml`'s job, running as the
+`deploy` account this playbook creates.
+
+Hosts are referenced by `~/.ssh/config` aliases (`scrabble-main-ops`,
+`scrabble-tg-ops`), so no IPs or key paths live in the repo.
+
+## Prerequisites (controller)
+
+- `ansible` with the bundled collections (`community.general`, `community.docker`,
+  `ansible.posix`).
+- The two hosts reachable as root via the ssh-config aliases, host keys already
+  accepted into `known_hosts` (`host_key_checking = True`).
+
+## One-time: the CI deploy key
+
+The CI prod-deploy workflow logs into the hosts as `deploy` using a dedicated
+key. Generate it once on the controller, authorize its public half via the
+playbook, and store its private half **only** in the Gitea `PROD_SSH_KEY` secret:
+
+```sh
+ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -N '' -C scrabble-ci-deploy \
+  -f ~/.ssh/scrabble_ci_deploy_ed25519
+# private half -> Gitea secret PROD_SSH_KEY (set via API); never commit it
+```
+
+## Run
+
+```sh
+cd deploy/ansible
+ansible-playbook site.yml
+```
+
+The playbook reads the public key from `~/.ssh/scrabble_ci_deploy_ed25519.pub` by
+default; override with `-e deploy_ci_pubkey_path=/path/to/key.pub`. Re-running is
+safe (idempotent) and survives a host resize.
+
+## What each host gets
+
+- **both** (`common`): docker-ce + compose plugin, `daemon.json` (live-restore,
+  10m×3 log rotation), `deploy` user (docker group, no sudo), key-only sshd,
+  `ufw` default-deny incoming + allow SSH, fail2ban sshd jail, unattended
+  upgrades, chrony, `/opt/scrabble/{config,certs,dumps,images}`.
+- **main**: `ufw` opens 80/443/9443; the external `edge` docker network.
+- **tg**: verifies direct `api.telegram.org` egress (the no-VPN assumption).

deploy/ansible/ansible.cfg

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[defaults]
+inventory = inventory.ini
+roles_path = roles
+interpreter_python = /usr/bin/python3
+host_key_checking = True
+stdout_callback = yaml
+deprecation_warnings = False
+retry_files_enabled = False
+
+[ssh_connection]
+pipelining = True

deploy/ansible/group_vars/all.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+# Service account the CI prod-deploy workflow uses to drive docker on the hosts.
+# Membership in the docker group is root-equivalent (docker socket access), which
+# is all the deploy workflow needs; the account is deliberately not given sudo.
+deploy_user: deploy
+
+# Public half of the dedicated CI deploy SSH key, read from the controller at run
+# time. The private half is generated on the controller during provisioning and
+# stored ONLY in the Gitea PROD_SSH_KEY secret; it is never committed. Override the
+# path with -e deploy_ci_pubkey_path=/path/to/key.pub if the key lives elsewhere.
+deploy_ci_pubkey_path: "{{ lookup('env', 'HOME') }}/.ssh/scrabble_ci_deploy_ed25519.pub"
+deploy_ci_pubkey: "{{ lookup('file', deploy_ci_pubkey_path) }}"
+
+# Base directory the deploy workflow rsyncs compose files, config, certs and dumps
+# into. Owned by deploy_user so the workflow needs no elevation.
+scrabble_base_dir: /opt/scrabble
+
+# Docker daemon json-file log rotation, mirroring the compose x-logging anchor so
+# the host's own containers (and any ad-hoc runs) rotate identically.
+docker_log_max_size: "10m"
+docker_log_max_file: "3"

deploy/ansible/inventory.ini

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Production inventory for Stage 18.
+#
+# Hosts resolve through the operator's ~/.ssh/config aliases, so HostName (public
+# IP), User and IdentityFile live there — no IPs or key paths are committed here.
+#   scrabble-main-ops -> main stack host (public IP, domain erudit-game.ru)
+#   scrabble-tg-ops   -> Telegram bot host (direct Bot API egress, no VPN)
+
+[main]
+scrabble-main-ops
+
+[tg]
+scrabble-tg-ops
+
+[prod:children]
+main
+tg
+
+[prod:vars]
+ansible_user=root

deploy/ansible/roles/common/handlers/main.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+- name: restart docker
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: docker
+    state: restarted
+
+- name: reload sshd
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: ssh
+    state: reloaded
+
+- name: restart fail2ban
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: fail2ban
+    state: restarted

deploy/ansible/roles/common/tasks/main.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+---
+# Common baseline applied to both prod hosts: Docker engine, a non-sudo deploy
+# service account, SSH hardening, a default-deny firewall, fail2ban, unattended
+# security upgrades and time sync. Every task is idempotent.
+
+- name: Install base packages
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name:
+      - ca-certificates
+      - curl
+      - gnupg
+      - ufw
+      - fail2ban
+      - unattended-upgrades
+      - chrony
+    state: present
+    update_cache: true
+    cache_valid_time: 3600
+
+# --- Docker engine (official repo; trixie is published upstream) ---------------
+
+- name: Create apt keyring directory
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: /etc/apt/keyrings
+    state: directory
+    mode: "0755"
+
+- name: Install Docker apt GPG key
+  ansible.builtin.get_url:
+    url: https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg
+    dest: /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
+    mode: "0644"
+
+- name: Add Docker apt repository
+  ansible.builtin.apt_repository:
+    repo: >-
+      deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc]
+      https://download.docker.com/linux/debian {{ ansible_distribution_release }} stable
+    filename: docker
+    state: present
+
+- name: Install Docker engine and the compose plugin
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name:
+      - docker-ce
+      - docker-ce-cli
+      - containerd.io
+      - docker-buildx-plugin
+      - docker-compose-plugin
+    state: present
+    update_cache: true
+
+- name: Configure the Docker daemon (live-restore + log rotation)
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: daemon.json.j2
+    dest: /etc/docker/daemon.json
+    mode: "0644"
+  notify: restart docker
+
+- name: Enable and start Docker
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: docker
+    enabled: true
+    state: started
+
+# --- Deploy service account ----------------------------------------------------
+
+- name: Create the deploy service account
+  ansible.builtin.user:
+    name: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    groups: docker
+    append: true
+    shell: /bin/bash
+    create_home: true
+
+- name: Ensure the deploy .ssh directory
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "/home/{{ deploy_user }}/.ssh"
+    state: directory
+    owner: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    group: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    mode: "0700"
+
+- name: Authorize the CI deploy SSH key (exclusive)
+  ansible.builtin.copy:
+    dest: "/home/{{ deploy_user }}/.ssh/authorized_keys"
+    content: "{{ deploy_ci_pubkey }}\n"
+    owner: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    group: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    mode: "0600"
+
+# --- SSH hardening -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+- name: Harden sshd (key-only auth)
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: sshd-hardening.conf.j2
+    dest: /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/10-scrabble-hardening.conf
+    mode: "0644"
+    validate: sshd -t -f %s
+  notify: reload sshd
+
+# --- Firewall (default deny incoming) ------------------------------------------
+# SSH is allowed before the policy flips so enabling ufw never locks us out.
+
+- name: Allow SSH through the firewall
+  community.general.ufw:
+    rule: allow
+    name: OpenSSH
+
+- name: Default-deny incoming, allow outgoing
+  community.general.ufw:
+    direction: "{{ item.direction }}"
+    policy: "{{ item.policy }}"
+  loop:
+    - { direction: incoming, policy: deny }
+    - { direction: outgoing, policy: allow }
+
+- name: Enable the firewall
+  community.general.ufw:
+    state: enabled
+
+# --- fail2ban ------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+- name: Configure the fail2ban sshd jail
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: jail.local.j2
+    dest: /etc/fail2ban/jail.local
+    mode: "0644"
+  notify: restart fail2ban
+
+- name: Enable and start fail2ban
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: fail2ban
+    enabled: true
+    state: started
+
+# --- Unattended security upgrades + time sync ----------------------------------
+
+- name: Enable unattended upgrades
+  ansible.builtin.copy:
+    dest: /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades
+    mode: "0644"
+    content: |
+      APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
+      APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";
+
+- name: Enable and start chrony
+  ansible.builtin.service:
+    name: chrony
+    enabled: true
+    state: started
+
+# --- Deploy directories --------------------------------------------------------
+
+- name: Create the scrabble base directories
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "{{ scrabble_base_dir }}/{{ item }}"
+    state: directory
+    owner: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    group: "{{ deploy_user }}"
+    mode: "0750"
+  loop:
+    - ""
+    - config
+    - certs
+    - dumps
+    - images

deploy/ansible/roles/common/templates/daemon.json.j2

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "live-restore": true,
+  "log-driver": "json-file",
+  "log-opts": {
+    "max-size": "{{ docker_log_max_size }}",
+    "max-file": "{{ docker_log_max_file }}"
+  }
+}

deploy/ansible/roles/common/templates/jail.local.j2

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Managed by Ansible (deploy/ansible).
+[DEFAULT]
+bantime = 1h
+findtime = 10m
+maxretry = 5
+backend = systemd
+
+[sshd]
+enabled = true

deploy/ansible/roles/common/templates/sshd-hardening.conf.j2

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Managed by Ansible (deploy/ansible). Key-only authentication.
+# root stays reachable by key (prohibit-password) for provisioning re-runs.
+PasswordAuthentication no
+PermitRootLogin prohibit-password
+PubkeyAuthentication yes
+KbdInteractiveAuthentication no

deploy/ansible/roles/main/tasks/main.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+# Main stack host: public web + bot-link ports and the external 'edge' network
+# the compose stack attaches caddy to.
+
+- name: Open public web and bot-link ports
+  community.general.ufw:
+    rule: allow
+    port: "{{ item }}"
+    proto: tcp
+  loop:
+    - "80"    # HTTP (ACME challenge + redirect to HTTPS)
+    - "443"   # HTTPS (caddy edge)
+    - "9443"  # bot-link mTLS (remote bot dials in; mutual TLS gates access)
+
+- name: Ensure the external 'edge' docker network exists
+  community.docker.docker_network:
+    name: edge
+    state: present

deploy/ansible/roles/tg/tasks/main.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+# Telegram bot host: holds no inbound port beyond SSH (the bot dials out to the
+# Bot API and into the main host's bot-link). We only verify direct Bot API
+# egress here, since the "no VPN" decision depends on it.
+
+- name: Verify direct Telegram Bot API egress (no VPN on this host)
+  ansible.builtin.uri:
+    url: https://api.telegram.org/
+    method: GET
+    status_code: [200, 301, 302, 401, 404]   # any HTTP reply proves reachability
+    timeout: 10
+  register: tg_egress
+  failed_when: false
+
+- name: Report Telegram reachability
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg: >-
+      api.telegram.org reachable:
+      {{ (tg_egress.status | default(0) | int) > 0 }} (status {{ tg_egress.status | default('none') }})

deploy/ansible/site.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+---
+# Production host provisioning. Idempotent: safe to re-run after a host resize.
+# Prepares hosts only (docker, hardening, service account, firewall); the
+# application is deployed separately by .gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml.
+
+- name: Common baseline (both hosts)
+  hosts: prod
+  become: true
+  pre_tasks:
+    - name: Require a well-formed CI deploy public key
+      ansible.builtin.assert:
+        that:
+          - deploy_ci_pubkey | length > 0
+          - deploy_ci_pubkey is search('^(ssh|ecdsa)-')
+        fail_msg: >-
+          deploy_ci_pubkey is empty or malformed. Generate the key first
+          (see deploy/ansible/README.md) or override deploy_ci_pubkey_path.
+  roles:
+    - common
+
+- name: Main stack host
+  hosts: main
+  become: true
+  roles:
+    - main
+
+- name: Telegram bot host
+  hosts: tg
+  become: true
+  roles:
+    - tg

deploy/caddy/Caddyfile

@@ -21,6 +21,18 @@
 }
 
 {$CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS::80} {
+	# HTTP/3 is advertised by default whenever this caddy terminates TLS (prod:
+	# CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS is the domain). But UDP/443 is never reachable — the prod
+	# compose maps only "443:443" (TCP) and ufw opens 443/tcp — so a client that cached
+	# the `Alt-Svc: h3` advert (sticky for ma=2592000s) stalls on the dead QUIC path
+	# before falling back to h2, which surfaced as the Telegram Mini App intermittently
+	# hanging on load. `Alt-Svc: clear` actively drops any cached alternative and pins
+	# clients to h2/h1; it is applied site-wide so every route is covered. In the test
+	# contour this caddy serves plain :80 (no h3 to advertise) and the host caddy
+	# re-stamps its own Alt-Svc, so the live test fix lives in the host caddy — here it
+	# is the prod fix. Background + alternatives (incl. serving h3 for real): docs/EDGE_HTTP3.md.
+	header Alt-Svc clear
+
 	# Operator surfaces under /_gm: a single shared Basic-Auth, then route.
 	@gm path /_gm /_gm/*
 	handle @gm {
@@ -38,10 +50,28 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	# The game SPA and the Connect edge are served by the gateway.
+	# The game SPA and the Connect edge are served by the gateway. Strip any
+	# client-supplied X-Scrabble-Honeypot here so the gateway only ever honours the
+	# tag the honeypot block sets below (a client cannot self-tag a real request).
 	@gateway path /app /app/* /telegram /telegram/* /scrabble.edge.v1.Gateway/*
 	handle @gateway {
-		reverse_proxy gateway:8081
+		reverse_proxy gateway:8081 {
+			header_up -X-Scrabble-Honeypot
+		}
+	}
+
+	# Honeypot decoy paths: classic vulnerability-scanner bait no real client ever
+	# requests. Route them to the gateway tagged with X-Scrabble-Honeypot — the set
+	# replaces any client-supplied value — so it logs the scanner hit and (in prod)
+	# bans the source IP. (A delete + set in one block would not work: Caddy applies
+	# header_up deletions after sets, which would strip the tag we just set; the real
+	# endpoints instead strip the header in the @gateway block above.) Keep this list
+	# disjoint from every legitimate landing/app path.
+	@honeypot path /.env /.git /.git/* /.aws/* /wp-login.php /wp-admin /wp-admin/* /phpmyadmin /phpmyadmin/*
+	handle @honeypot {
+		reverse_proxy gateway:8081 {
+			header_up X-Scrabble-Honeypot 1
+		}
 	}
 
 	# Everything else — the public landing at / and any stray path — is static.

deploy/docker-compose.bot.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# Production Telegram bot host descriptor (standalone — NOT an overlay). Run only on
+# the bot host:
+#   docker compose -f docker-compose.bot.yml up -d
+#
+# The bot egresses to the Bot API directly (no VPN sidecar) and dials the main host's
+# published bot-link :9443 over mTLS. It exports no telemetry — otelcol lives on the
+# main host and is unreachable from here — so observe it via `docker logs` on this host.
+# Values come from the prod-deploy workflow (PROD_ secrets/variables); BOT_IMAGE is the
+# pushed registry tag and BOTLINK_GATEWAY_ADDR is the main host's <ip>:9443.
+name: scrabble-bot
+
+services:
+  bot:
+    container_name: scrabble-telegram-bot
+    image: ${BOT_IMAGE:?set BOT_IMAGE to the registry tag}
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    logging:
+      driver: json-file
+      options:
+        max-size: "10m"
+        max-file: "3"
+    environment:
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN:?set TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}
+      TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID: ${TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID:-}
+      TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID:-}
+      TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN:-}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME:-}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK:-}
+      TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL:?set TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL}
+      # Real Bot API in prod (the test contour pins TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV=true instead).
+      TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV: "false"
+      TELEGRAM_API_BASE_URL: ${TELEGRAM_API_BASE_URL:-}
+      TELEGRAM_OWNS_UPDATES: "true"
+      # Dials the main host's published bot-link. ServerName stays `gateway` (the cert
+      # SAN), so TLS validation is independent of the dial address.
+      TELEGRAM_GATEWAY_ADDR: ${BOTLINK_GATEWAY_ADDR:?set BOTLINK_GATEWAY_ADDR (main:9443)}
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_SERVER_NAME: gateway
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_CERT: /certs/bot.crt
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_KEY: /certs/bot.key
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_CA: /certs/ca.crt
+      TELEGRAM_LOG_LEVEL: ${LOG_LEVEL:-info}
+      TELEGRAM_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-telegram-bot
+      # No telemetry export: otelcol is on the main host, unreachable from here.
+      TELEGRAM_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER: none
+      TELEGRAM_OTEL_METRICS_EXPORTER: none
+      GOMAXPROCS: "1"
+    volumes:
+      - ${SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR:-.}/certs:/certs:ro
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          cpus: "1.0"
+          memory: 256M

deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+# Production main-host overlay, applied on top of docker-compose.yml on the main host:
+#   docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml up -d
+#
+# It (1) publishes caddy 80/443 — there is no host caddy in prod, so the contour caddy
+# owns the edge and does its own ACME on CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS — and the gateway bot-link
+# :9443 the remote bot dials in over mTLS; and (2) retunes the baseline limits down for the
+# 2 vCPU / 1.9 GiB host (GOMAXPROCS=2, smaller memory caps, shorter Prometheus
+# retention). The contour launches deliberately undersized at zero players; the added
+# node_exporter + Grafana watch host memory so it can be resized at Selectel when
+# traffic arrives.
+#
+# The bot + its VPN sidecar are absent here (the telegram-local profile is not
+# activated); the prod bot runs on its own host from docker-compose.bot.yml.
+
+services:
+  caddy:
+    ports:
+      - "80:80"
+      - "443:443"
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 96M
+
+  gateway:
+    # Prod pulls the pushed image by tag instead of building locally; the base
+    # build: section stays dormant because the deploy always pulls first.
+    image: ${REGISTRY:?set REGISTRY}/scrabble-gateway:${TAG:?set TAG}
+    ports:
+      - "9443:9443"
+    environment:
+      # 2 vCPU host: align the Go scheduler with the cgroup quota (the baseline's 3-core gateway needs 3 cores).
+      GOMAXPROCS: "2"
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          cpus: "2.0"
+          memory: 384M
+
+  backend:
+    image: ${REGISTRY:?set REGISTRY}/scrabble-backend:${TAG:?set TAG}
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 384M
+
+  postgres:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 384M
+
+  validator:
+    image: ${REGISTRY:?set REGISTRY}/scrabble-telegram-validator:${TAG:?set TAG}
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 96M
+
+  landing:
+    image: ${REGISTRY:?set REGISTRY}/scrabble-landing:${TAG:?set TAG}
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 64M
+
+  otelcol:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 256M
+
+  prometheus:
+    command:
+      - --config.file=/etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml
+      - --storage.tsdb.retention.time=7d
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 256M
+
+  tempo:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 384M
+
+  grafana:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 256M
+
+  postgres_exporter:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 64M

deploy/docker-compose.yml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Full deploy descriptor for the Scrabble test contour: backend + gateway +
-# Postgres + the Telegram connector (with its VPN sidecar) + the observability
+# Postgres + the Telegram validator + bot (the bot with its VPN sidecar) + the
-# stack (OTel Collector -> Prometheus + Tempo -> Grafana). Driven by
+# observability stack (OTel Collector -> Prometheus + Tempo -> Grafana). Driven by
 # .gitea/workflows/ci.yaml (`docker compose up -d --build`); env values are
 # interpolated from Gitea Actions TEST_ secrets/variables exported by the deploy
 # job (see deploy/.env.example for the unprefixed names).
@@ -19,13 +19,15 @@
 #     the test contour; the host caddy terminates TLS and forwards. For prod
 #     (no host caddy) set CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS to the domain so the caddy
 #     does its own ACME — the contour is then self-contained.
-#   - The connector egresses to api.telegram.org through the `vpn` sidecar
+#   - The validator answers internal gRPC at `validator:9091` (no VPN, HMAC only).
-#     (network_mode: service:vpn); it answers internal gRPC at `telegram:9091`.
+#     The bot egresses to api.telegram.org through the `vpn` sidecar (network_mode:
+#     service:vpn) and dials the gateway bot-link (mTLS) at `gateway:9443`. The
+#     backend admin relay reaches the gateway at `gateway:9092` (plaintext).
 name: scrabble
 
-# Bound every container's json-file logs. R7 measured the backend emitting a
+# Bound every container's json-file logs. The backend emits a per-request latency
-# per-request latency line at info (~14 MiB / 30 min under the 500-player stress
+# line at info (~14 MiB / 30 min under the 500-player peak); without rotation the
-# peak); without rotation the volume grows unbounded. 10 MiB x 3 files caps each
+# volume grows unbounded. 10 MiB x 3 files caps each
 # container at 30 MiB. Applied to every service via the *default-logging alias.
 x-logging: &default-logging
   driver: json-file
@@ -50,8 +52,8 @@ services:
       retries: 30
     volumes:
       - postgres-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
-    # R7 starting limits: 512M leaves headroom over the default 128 MB shared_buffers +
+    # 512M leaves headroom over the default 128 MB shared_buffers + per-connection
-    # per-connection memory (R2 peaked at 28 backends / 69 MiB RSS); tighten after the run.
+    # memory (the load harness peaked at 28 backends / 69 MiB RSS).
     deploy:
       resources:
         limits:
@@ -66,9 +68,13 @@ services:
       context: ..
       dockerfile: backend/Dockerfile
       args:
-        # Seed dictionary for a FRESH volume; the per-contour value comes from the
+        # Seed dictionary for a FRESH volume; required (no default) so the release tag is
-        # deploy env (Gitea TEST_/PROD_DICT_VERSION). See the volume note below.
+        # set in exactly one place per context — the deploy env (Gitea TEST_/PROD_DICT_VERSION)
-        DICT_VERSION: ${DICT_VERSION:-v1.2.1}
+        # or .env for local builds. See the volume note below + deploy/README.md "Bumping the
+        # dictionary version".
+        DICT_VERSION: ${DICT_VERSION:?set DICT_VERSION — the scrabble-dictionary release tag, e.g. in deploy/.env}
+        # Build version stamped into the binary (git tag; see pkg/version).
+        VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-dev}
     restart: unless-stopped
     logging: *default-logging
     depends_on:
@@ -77,12 +83,14 @@ services:
     environment:
       # search_path=backend matches the migrations (00001 creates the schema).
       BACKEND_POSTGRES_DSN: postgres://${POSTGRES_USER:-scrabble}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@postgres:5432/${POSTGRES_DB:-scrabble}?sslmode=disable&search_path=backend
-      # R7 tuned: the pool sat at its 25-conn cap (28 backends total) at 500 players;
+      # The pool caps at 25 conns (~28 backends) around 500 players; 40 gives headroom
-      # 40 gives headroom for bursts. Postgres (2 cores / 512 MiB) handles it.
+      # for bursts. Postgres (2 cores / 512 MiB) handles it.
       BACKEND_POSTGRES_MAX_OPEN_CONNS: "40"
       BACKEND_HTTP_ADDR: ":8080"
       BACKEND_GRPC_ADDR: ":9090"
-      BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR: telegram:9091
+      # Admin broadcasts go to the gateway's bot-link relay, which forwards them to
+      # the remote bot and reports back whether they were delivered.
+      BACKEND_CONNECTOR_ADDR: gateway:9092
       BACKEND_LOG_LEVEL: ${LOG_LEVEL:-info}
       BACKEND_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-backend
       BACKEND_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER: otlp
@@ -105,8 +113,8 @@ services:
       - dawg-data:/opt/dawg
     # No container healthcheck: the distroless image has no shell/wget. Readiness
     # is covered by the CI post-deploy probe (GET / through caddy).
-    # R7 starting limits (generous over the R2 ~1-core / <=100 MiB peak); tightened to
+    # Generous over the ~1-core / <=100 MiB measured peak; the prod overlay trims these
-    # the agreed prod values after the final stress run. deploy.resources.limits is
+    # to the launch-host values. deploy.resources.limits is
     # honoured by `docker compose up` (Compose v2), not only by swarm.
     deploy:
       resources:
@@ -128,6 +136,8 @@ services:
         VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME: ${VITE_TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_NAME:-}
         VITE_GATEWAY_URL: ${VITE_GATEWAY_URL:-}
         VITE_APP_VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-dev}
+        # Go binary version (the SPA's VITE_APP_VERSION is the same git tag).
+        VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-dev}
     restart: unless-stopped
     logging: *default-logging
     depends_on: [backend]
@@ -135,7 +145,24 @@ services:
       GATEWAY_HTTP_ADDR: ":8081"
       GATEWAY_BACKEND_HTTP_URL: http://backend:8080
       GATEWAY_BACKEND_GRPC_ADDR: backend:9090
-      GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR: telegram:9091
+      # Telegram auth validates against the home validator (plaintext, internal).
+      GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR: validator:9091
+      # The reverse bot-link: the bot dials :9443 over mTLS; the backend admin relay
+      # reaches the gateway at :9092 (plaintext, internal). In the test contour both
+      # listeners stay on the internal network (the bot shares the VPN netns); in prod
+      # the bot is a separate host and :9443 is published with public certificates.
+      GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR: ":9443"
+      GATEWAY_BOTLINK_RELAY_ADDR: ":9092"
+      GATEWAY_BOTLINK_TLS_CERT: /certs/gateway.crt
+      GATEWAY_BOTLINK_TLS_KEY: /certs/gateway.key
+      GATEWAY_BOTLINK_TLS_CA: /certs/ca.crt
+      # Anti-abuse IP ban (fail2ban-style), fed by rate-limit rejections and the
+      # honeypot/honeytoken. Off by default: it bans by client IP, which is only
+      # real in prod — the test contour arrives as one shared NAT address, so a ban
+      # there would be self-inflicted (the honeypot/honeytoken still log). Prod sets
+      # these from PROD_ inputs; GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN is the planted bearer trap.
+      GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED: ${GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED:-false}
+      GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN: ${GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN:-}
       GATEWAY_LOG_LEVEL: ${LOG_LEVEL:-info}
       GATEWAY_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-gateway
       GATEWAY_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER: otlp
@@ -146,7 +173,11 @@ services:
       GOMAXPROCS: "3"
       # GATEWAY_ADMIN_* intentionally unset: in the deployed contour the front
       # caddy owns the /_gm Basic-Auth and routes /_gm to the backend directly.
-    # R7 tuned: the gateway holds one h2c connection per player, so at 500 players it
+    # The bot-link mTLS material (CA + gateway server leaf). Generated by
+    # deploy/gen-certs.sh for the test contour; supplied from PROD_ secrets in prod.
+    volumes:
+      - ${SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR:-.}/certs:/certs:ro
+    # The gateway holds one h2c connection per player, so at 500 players it
     # bursts into a 2-core cap (~2.49% transport_error on game.state); 3 cores absorbs
     # the bursts. Per-connection overhead is the realistic prod cost — size for it.
     deploy:
@@ -182,53 +213,118 @@ services:
           memory: 128M
     networks: [internal]
 
-  # --- Telegram connector (egress via the VPN sidecar) -----------------------
+  # --- Telegram validator (home; HMAC only, no VPN, no Telegram egress) -------
+  # The validator holds the bot token solely as the HMAC secret and never reaches
+  # the Bot API, so it runs on the main network with no VPN. Game login validates
+  # against it and stays up even when the remote bot or the bot-link is down.
+  validator:
+    container_name: scrabble-telegram-validator
+    image: scrabble-telegram-validator:latest
+    build:
+      context: ..
+      dockerfile: platform/telegram/Dockerfile
+      target: validator
+      args:
+        VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-dev}
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    logging: *default-logging
+    environment:
+      # The token is the HMAC secret only; the validator never calls the Bot API. An
+      # empty value crash-loops only the validator; the rest of the contour comes up.
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN:-}
+      TELEGRAM_VALIDATOR_GRPC_ADDR: ":9091"
+      TELEGRAM_LOG_LEVEL: ${LOG_LEVEL:-info}
+      TELEGRAM_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-telegram-validator
+      TELEGRAM_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER: otlp
+      TELEGRAM_OTEL_METRICS_EXPORTER: otlp
+      OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT: http://otelcol:4317
+      OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_INSECURE: "true"
+      GOMAXPROCS: "1"
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          cpus: "1.0"
+          memory: 128M
+    networks: [internal]
+
+  # --- Telegram bot (egress via the VPN sidecar in test; dials the gateway) ---
+  # vpn + bot are gated to the `telegram-local` profile: the test contour runs them
+  # locally (CI passes --profile telegram-local), the prod main host omits them, and
+  # the prod bot runs on its own host from deploy/docker-compose.bot.yml.
   vpn:
     container_name: scrabble-telegram-vpn
     image: docker.iliadenisov.ru/developer/amneziawg-sidecar:latest
+    profiles: ["telegram-local"]
     restart: unless-stopped
     logging: *default-logging
     privileged: true
     environment:
-      AWG_CONF: ${AWG_CONF:?set AWG_CONF}
+      # Required by the vpn sidecar, which is gated to the telegram-local profile.
+      # Compose can't scope a `:?` guard to a profile (interpolation runs for
+      # profiled-out services too) and the prod main host has no VPN, so this is a soft
+      # default; the test contour always supplies TEST_AWG_CONF and the sidecar validates it.
+      AWG_CONF: ${AWG_CONF:-}
     networks:
       internal:
         aliases: [telegram]
 
-  telegram:
+  bot:
-    container_name: scrabble-telegram
+    container_name: scrabble-telegram-bot
-    image: scrabble-telegram:latest
+    image: scrabble-telegram-bot:latest
+    profiles: ["telegram-local"]
     build:
       context: ..
       dockerfile: platform/telegram/Dockerfile
+      target: bot
+      args:
+        VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-dev}
     restart: unless-stopped
     logging: *default-logging
     depends_on: [vpn]
     network_mode: "service:vpn"
     environment:
-      # The bot token lives ONLY in this container (ARCHITECTURE.md §12). The connector
+      # The bot token lives on the bot host (ARCHITECTURE.md §12). The bot requires it
-      # requires it at boot; an empty value leaves the Telegram side down while the rest
+      # at boot; an empty value leaves the bot down while the rest of the contour comes up.
-      # of the contour still comes up.
       TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN:-}
       TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID: ${TELEGRAM_GAME_CHANNEL_ID:-}
+      # The moderated discussion chat (a channel's linked group) the bot gates write
+      # access in. Empty disables gating. The group must ALLOW sending by default — the bot
+      # only restricts (mutes the ineligible) — and the bot must be an admin there with the
+      # "Ban users" right; chat_member updates are delivered only to a chat admin.
+      TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID:-}
+      # The optional standalone promo bot (its own token) answering /start with a button
+      # into the main bot's app. Empty disables it; when set it needs the main bot's
+      # @username and the Mini App link (reused from the UI's VITE_TELEGRAM_LINK).
+      TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN:-}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME:-}
+      TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_LINK:-}
       TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL: ${TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL:?set TELEGRAM_MINIAPP_URL}
-      TELEGRAM_GRPC_ADDR: ":9091"
       TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV: ${TELEGRAM_TEST_ENV:-false}
       TELEGRAM_API_BASE_URL: ${TELEGRAM_API_BASE_URL:-}
+      TELEGRAM_OWNS_UPDATES: "true"
+      # The bot dials the gateway bot-link over mTLS. In test it reaches the gateway by
+      # its internal service name through the VPN netns (Docker resolver, off-tunnel,
+      # like otelcol); in prod it is a separate host dialing the gateway's public port.
+      TELEGRAM_GATEWAY_ADDR: gateway:9443
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_SERVER_NAME: gateway
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_CERT: /certs/bot.crt
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_KEY: /certs/bot.key
+      TELEGRAM_BOTLINK_TLS_CA: /certs/ca.crt
       TELEGRAM_LOG_LEVEL: ${LOG_LEVEL:-info}
-      TELEGRAM_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-telegram
+      TELEGRAM_SERVICE_NAME: scrabble-telegram-bot
-      # The connector shares the VPN sidecar's netns. Routing to the collector's
+      # The bot shares the VPN sidecar's netns. Routing to internal IPs stays off the
-      # internal IP stays off the tunnel (connected route), but the sidecar's DNS
+      # tunnel (connected route), but the sidecar's DNS hijacks name resolution:
-      # hijacks name resolution: AWG_CONF must NOT carry a `DNS=` directive, else
+      # AWG_CONF must NOT carry a `DNS=` directive, else `otelcol` and `gateway` won't
-      # `otelcol` won't resolve ("produced zero addresses"). Without DNS= the netns
+      # resolve. Without DNS= the netns uses Docker's resolver, which resolves the
-      # uses Docker's resolver, which resolves both otelcol and api.telegram.org
+      # internal services and api.telegram.org (see deploy/README.md).
-      # (see deploy/README.md).
       TELEGRAM_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER: otlp
       TELEGRAM_OTEL_METRICS_EXPORTER: otlp
       OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT: http://otelcol:4317
       OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_INSECURE: "true"
-      # The connector is light (the stress run does not drive Telegram); one P suffices.
+      # The bot is light (the stress run does not drive Telegram); one P suffices.
       GOMAXPROCS: "1"
+    volumes:
+      - ${SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR:-.}/certs:/certs:ro
     deploy:
       resources:
         limits:
@@ -308,8 +404,8 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - ${SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR:-.}/tempo/tempo.yaml:/etc/tempo/tempo.yaml:ro
       - tempo-data:/var/tempo
-    # R7 tuned: tempo reached the 1 GiB cap during the final run (446 MiB in R2);
+    # Tempo reached the 1 GiB cap under sustained load (446 MiB in earlier runs);
-    # raised to 2 GiB for headroom against OOM under sustained tracing load.
+    # raised to 2 GiB for headroom against OOM.
     deploy:
       resources:
         limits:
@@ -367,6 +463,26 @@ services:
           memory: 128M
     networks: [internal]
 
+  # node_exporter exports host CPU/memory/disk metrics. The prod main host runs a tight
+  # 1.9 GiB budget, so host memory pressure — not just per-container docker_stats — is
+  # what warns before an OOM. Prometheus scrapes it at :9100 (see prometheus.yml).
+  node_exporter:
+    container_name: scrabble-node-exporter
+    image: quay.io/prometheus/node-exporter:v1.8.2
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    logging: *default-logging
+    command:
+      - --path.rootfs=/host
+      - --collector.filesystem.mount-points-exclude=^/(sys|proc|dev|host)($|/)
+    pid: host
+    volumes:
+      - /:/host:ro,rslave
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        limits:
+          memory: 64M
+    networks: [internal]
+
 networks:
   internal:
     name: scrabble-internal

deploy/gen-certs.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Generate the bot-link mTLS material for the TEST contour: a private CA, a gateway
+# server leaf and a bot client leaf. The gateway requires the leaf + the bot the
+# client leaf to bring up the reverse bot-link; the CA signs both so each peer trusts
+# only the other.
+#
+# Production certificates come from PROD_ secrets, NOT this script. Private keys never
+# leave the host/secrets; deploy/certs/ is gitignored. The script is idempotent: it
+# reuses an existing CA + leaves unless --force is passed (rotation re-mints the
+# leaves from the same long-lived CA).
+#
+# Usage:
+#   deploy/gen-certs.sh [--force] [dir]
+# Env:
+#   BOTLINK_GATEWAY_NAME   gateway certificate SAN/CN (default: gateway, the compose
+#                          service name the bot dials in the test contour)
+set -euo pipefail
+
+force=0
+dir=""
+for arg in "$@"; do
+	case "$arg" in
+	--force) force=1 ;;
+	*) dir="$arg" ;;
+	esac
+done
+dir="${dir:-$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)/certs}"
+gw_name="${BOTLINK_GATEWAY_NAME:-gateway}"
+
+mkdir -p "$dir"
+cd "$dir"
+
+if [[ -f gateway.crt && -f bot.crt && "$force" -ne 1 ]]; then
+	echo "gen-certs: certificates already present in $dir (use --force to rotate the leaves)"
+	exit 0
+fi
+
+# CA: long-lived (10y), reused across leaf rotations.
+if [[ ! -f ca.crt || ! -f ca.key ]]; then
+	openssl req -x509 -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:prime256v1 -nodes \
+		-keyout ca.key -out ca.crt -days 3650 -subj "/CN=scrabble-botlink-ca"
+	echo "gen-certs: created CA"
+fi
+
+# Gateway server leaf (SAN matches the name the bot dials).
+openssl req -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:prime256v1 -nodes \
+	-keyout gateway.key -out gateway.csr -subj "/CN=${gw_name}"
+openssl x509 -req -in gateway.csr -CA ca.crt -CAkey ca.key -CAcreateserial \
+	-out gateway.crt -days 825 \
+	-extfile <(printf "subjectAltName=DNS:%s,DNS:localhost\nextendedKeyUsage=serverAuth\nkeyUsage=critical,digitalSignature\n" "$gw_name")
+
+# Bot client leaf.
+openssl req -newkey ec -pkeyopt ec_paramgen_curve:prime256v1 -nodes \
+	-keyout bot.key -out bot.csr -subj "/CN=scrabble-bot"
+openssl x509 -req -in bot.csr -CA ca.crt -CAkey ca.key -CAcreateserial \
+	-out bot.crt -days 825 \
+	-extfile <(printf "extendedKeyUsage=clientAuth\nkeyUsage=critical,digitalSignature\n")
+
+rm -f gateway.csr bot.csr ca.srl
+# The gateway and bot run on distroless **nonroot** (UID 65532) and bind-mount this
+# dir read-only; a key owned by the deploy user must still be readable by that UID, so
+# the leaves are world-readable (0644, like the .crt files). These are ephemeral
+# TEST certificates regenerated every deploy on the trusted runner host; production
+# keys come from PROD_ secrets, not this script. The CA key never enters a container —
+# keep it owner-only.
+chmod 644 ./ca.crt ./gateway.crt ./gateway.key ./bot.crt ./bot.key
+chmod 600 ./ca.key
+echo "gen-certs: wrote ca.crt, gateway.crt/key (CN=${gw_name}), bot.crt/key to $dir"

deploy/grafana/dashboards/resources.json

@@ -36,7 +36,21 @@
       "type": "stat",
       "title": "Database size",
       "gridPos": { "h": 5, "w": 6, "x": 18, "y": 0 },
-      "fieldConfig": { "defaults": { "unit": "bytes" }, "overrides": [] },
+      "fieldConfig": {
+        "defaults": {
+          "unit": "bytes",
+          "color": { "mode": "thresholds" },
+          "thresholds": {
+            "mode": "absolute",
+            "steps": [
+              { "color": "green", "value": null },
+              { "color": "yellow", "value": 8589934592 },
+              { "color": "red", "value": 17179869184 }
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "overrides": []
+      },
       "datasource": { "type": "prometheus", "uid": "prometheus" },
       "targets": [{ "refId": "A", "expr": "max(pg_database_size_bytes{datname=\"scrabble\"})" }]
     },

deploy/prod-deploy.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Production main-host deploy driver. Runs ON the main host, invoked over SSH by
+# .gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml as the deploy user (which must already be
+# `docker login`ed to the registry). It pulls the images at the new tag and rolls
+# the stack ONE service at a time in dependency order (least -> most dependent),
+# health-checking after each; any failure rolls the whole stack back to the
+# previously deployed tag.
+#
+# A schema migration adds a maintenance window: the backend (the only writer) is
+# stopped so a consistent pg_dump is taken before the new backend migrates forward.
+# Image rollback alone is safe under the expand-contract migration rule, so the
+# automatic rollback never touches the database; the dump is kept for a MANUAL
+# restore if a migration turned out to be destructive (see deploy/prod/README.md).
+#
+# Required env (exported by the workflow over SSH):
+#   REGISTRY   registry namespace, e.g. docker.iliadenisov.ru/developer
+#   TAG        new image tag (the deployed git SHA)
+#   PREV_TAG   previously deployed tag, or "none" on the first deploy
+#   MIGRATION  "1" when the deploy carries a schema migration, else "0"
+# Optional: COMPOSE_DIR ENV_FILE DUMP_DIR STATE_FILE POSTGRES_USER POSTGRES_DB
+set -uo pipefail
+
+# Runtime compose vars (POSTGRES_*, GM_*, GRAFANA_*, CADDY_*, TELEGRAM_*, REGISTRY,
+# SCRABBLE_CONFIG_DIR, ...) come from a shell-sourceable env file the workflow writes
+# with single-quoted values. Exporting them into the process environment lets compose
+# interpolate ${...} without re-parsing the value — a plain --env-file would mangle the
+# literal '$' in the bcrypt GM_BASICAUTH_HASH.
+ENV_FILE="${ENV_FILE:-/opt/scrabble/env.sh}"
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+[ -f "$ENV_FILE" ] && . "$ENV_FILE"
+
+REGISTRY="${REGISTRY:?REGISTRY required (env.sh)}"
+TAG="${TAG:?TAG required}"
+PREV_TAG="${PREV_TAG:-none}"
+MIGRATION="${MIGRATION:-0}"
+COMPOSE_DIR="${COMPOSE_DIR:-/opt/scrabble/compose}"
+DUMP_DIR="${DUMP_DIR:-/opt/scrabble/dumps}"
+STATE_FILE="${STATE_FILE:-/opt/scrabble/DEPLOYED_TAG}"
+# The prior deployed tag, preserved on every successful deploy so prod-rollback can
+# target "the previous version" with no operator input.
+PREV_STATE_FILE="${PREV_STATE_FILE:-/opt/scrabble/PREVIOUS_TAG}"
+PG_USER="${POSTGRES_USER:-scrabble}"
+PG_DB="${POSTGRES_DB:-scrabble}"
+
+cd "$COMPOSE_DIR" || { echo "compose dir $COMPOSE_DIR missing"; exit 1; }
+export REGISTRY
+# otelcol joins the host docker group to read the socket; the GID varies per host.
+DOCKER_GID="$(getent group docker | cut -d: -f3)"
+export DOCKER_GID
+
+dc() { docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml "$@"; }
+use_tag() { export TAG="$1"; }
+
+# --- health probes (one-off containers on the contour networks, like CI) --------
+_probe() { docker run --rm --network "$1" alpine:3.20 wget -q -T 5 -O /dev/null "$2"; }
+health_backend() { for _ in $(seq 1 20); do _probe scrabble-internal http://backend:8080/readyz && return 0; sleep 3; done; return 1; }
+health_landing() { for _ in $(seq 1 20); do _probe scrabble-internal http://landing:80/ && return 0; sleep 3; done; return 1; }
+health_postgres() { for _ in $(seq 1 30); do [ "$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Health.Status}}' scrabble-postgres 2>/dev/null)" = healthy ] && return 0; sleep 2; done; return 1; }
+health_running() { # health_running <container>: running, not restarting, stable restart count
+  local n="$1" s r c1 c2
+  for _ in $(seq 1 20); do
+    s="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Status}}' "$n" 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
+    r="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Restarting}}' "$n" 2>/dev/null || echo true)"
+    if [ "$s" = running ] && [ "$r" = false ]; then
+      c1="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$n")"; sleep 5
+      c2="$(docker inspect -f '{{.RestartCount}}' "$n")"
+      [ "$c1" = "$c2" ] && return 0
+    fi
+    sleep 3
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
+roll() { # roll <service> <health-cmd...>
+  local svc="$1"; shift
+  echo ">>> rolling $svc -> $TAG"
+  # caddy's image is pinned (caddy:2-alpine, no $TAG) and its Caddyfile is bind-mounted, so a
+  # config-only change leaves the compose definition unchanged: `up -d` treats the container as
+  # current and does not recreate it, and admin is off so there is no hot reload — the new
+  # Caddyfile would never load. Force a recreate for caddy so config changes always apply; every
+  # other service already recreates on its new $TAG image.
+  local recreate=(); [ "$svc" = caddy ] && recreate=(--force-recreate)
+  dc up -d --no-build --no-deps "${recreate[@]}" "$svc" || return 1
+  "$@" || { echo "!!! $svc failed health check"; return 1; }
+  echo "<<< $svc healthy"
+}
+
+rollback() {
+  echo "########## ROLLBACK -> $PREV_TAG ##########"
+  if [ "$PREV_TAG" = none ]; then
+    echo "no previous tag (first deploy): cannot roll back; leaving the stack up for inspection."
+    return
+  fi
+  use_tag "$PREV_TAG"
+  dc up -d --no-build --remove-orphans
+  echo "rolled back to $PREV_TAG."
+  [ "$MIGRATION" = 1 ] && echo "NOTE: the DB is forward-migrated; a pre-deploy dump is in $DUMP_DIR — restore manually ONLY if the migration was destructive (see deploy/README.md, prod runbook)."
+}
+
+commit_tag() {
+  # Record the just-deployed tag as current, preserving the prior one as previous.
+  [ -f "$STATE_FILE" ] && cp "$STATE_FILE" "$PREV_STATE_FILE"
+  echo "$TAG" > "$STATE_FILE"
+}
+
+mkdir -p "$DUMP_DIR"
+echo "=== prod deploy: tag=$TAG prev=$PREV_TAG migration=$MIGRATION ==="
+use_tag "$TAG"
+dc pull
+
+# First deploy: nothing to roll from; bring the whole stack up and gate on health.
+if [ -z "$(docker ps -aq -f name=scrabble-backend)" ]; then
+  echo "first deploy: bringing the whole stack up"
+  dc up -d --no-build --remove-orphans || { echo "compose up failed"; exit 1; }
+  health_backend || { echo "backend not ready"; exit 1; }
+  health_landing || { echo "landing not ready"; exit 1; }
+  commit_tag
+  echo "first deploy healthy ($TAG)."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Migration deploy: freeze writes and snapshot a consistent dump before migrating.
+if [ "$MIGRATION" = 1 ]; then
+  echo "migration deploy: opening maintenance window (stopping the backend = the only writer)"
+  dc stop backend
+  dump="$DUMP_DIR/pre-$TAG-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).sql"
+  if ! docker exec scrabble-postgres pg_dump -U "$PG_USER" -d "$PG_DB" -n backend > "$dump"; then
+    echo "pg_dump failed; restarting the old backend and aborting"
+    dc start backend
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "consistent dump: $dump"
+fi
+
+# Roll one service at a time, least -> most dependent; any failure rolls everything back.
+roll postgres  health_postgres                              || { rollback; exit 1; }
+roll backend   health_backend                               || { rollback; exit 1; }
+roll gateway   health_running scrabble-gateway              || { rollback; exit 1; }
+roll landing   health_landing                               || { rollback; exit 1; }
+roll validator health_running scrabble-telegram-validator   || { rollback; exit 1; }
+roll caddy     health_running scrabble-caddy                || { rollback; exit 1; }
+
+# Observability + node_exporter: bring up the remainder and pick up any config changes.
+dc up -d --no-build --remove-orphans || { rollback; exit 1; }
+
+# Final internal sanity before committing the new tag.
+health_backend || { rollback; exit 1; }
+commit_tag
+echo "=== deploy healthy ($TAG) ==="

deploy/prometheus/prometheus.yml

@@ -18,3 +18,8 @@ scrape_configs:
   - job_name: postgres_exporter
     static_configs:
       - targets: ["postgres_exporter:9187"]
+  # Host-level metrics (memory/CPU/disk). Matters most on the prod main host's tight
+  # 1.9 GiB budget, where total host memory is the OOM-proximity signal.
+  - job_name: node
+    static_configs:
+      - targets: ["node_exporter:9100"]

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@
 
 Source of truth for the platform architecture, transport, security model and
 cross-service contracts. User-visible behaviour per domain lives in
-[`FUNCTIONAL.md`](FUNCTIONAL.md); the staged build order lives in
+[`FUNCTIONAL.md`](FUNCTIONAL.md). This document always describes the **current**
-[`../PLAN.md`](../PLAN.md). This document always describes the **current**
+design, not the history of how it was reached.
-design, not the history of how it was reached. Sections describing
-not-yet-implemented components are marked *(planned)*.
 
 ## 1. Overview
 
@@ -45,16 +43,23 @@ Three executables plus per-platform side-services:
   and a client **board-style** setting (bonus-label
   mode). The visual/interaction design system is documented in
   [`UI_DESIGN.md`](UI_DESIGN.md).
-- **`platform/telegram`** — the Telegram side-service (the "connector", module
+- **`platform/telegram`** — the Telegram side-service (module
-  `scrabble/platform/telegram`). It is the only component holding the bot token — **one
+  `scrabble/platform/telegram`), split into two binaries that share the bot token
-  unified bot** (one token + one optional game channel, §3). It
+  (**one bot**, one optional game channel, §3):
-  runs a Bot API long-poll loop (Mini App launch + `/start` deep-links) and serves
+  - the **validator** (`cmd/validator`) verifies Mini App initData and Login Widget
-  a gRPC API (`pkg/proto/telegram/v1`) that `gateway` (Mini App initData validation
+    data by HMAC (the bot token is the secret) and **never reaches the Bot API**, so
-  and out-of-app push) and `backend` (operator broadcasts) call over the
+    it runs on the main host with no VPN. The gateway calls its gRPC API
-  trusted internal network. Its generic delivery methods are **platform-agnostic**
+    (`pkg/proto/telegram/v1`) over the trusted internal network during Telegram auth,
-  (keyed by the identity `external_id`), so a future VK/MAX connector reuses them; only
+    so **game login is independent of Telegram reachability** (§10).
-  initData validation is Telegram-specific. It runs in its own container, egressing to
+  - the **bot** (`cmd/bot`) runs the Bot API long-poll (Mini App launch + `/start`
-  Telegram through a VPN sidecar.
+    deep-links) and `sendMessage`, the only component reaching the Telegram Bot API.
+    It holds **no inbound port**: it dials the gateway over a reverse **mTLS bot-link**
+    (`pkg/proto/botlink/v1`) and executes the send commands the gateway pushes
+    (out-of-app push, operator broadcasts), so its egress lives on a host with native
+    Telegram access off the main host — a VPN sidecar in the test contour, a separate
+    host in prod (§12). Its delivery commands are **platform-agnostic** (keyed by the
+    identity `external_id`), so a future VK/MAX bot reuses them; only initData
+    validation is Telegram-specific.
 
 ```mermaid
 flowchart LR
@@ -64,9 +69,11 @@ flowchart LR
   Gateway -- in-app stream --> Client
   Backend -- pgx --> Postgres[(Postgres)]
   Backend -. embeds .- Solver[[scrabble-solver library]]
-  Gateway -- gRPC (validate initData, out-of-app push) --> Telegram[Telegram connector]
+  Gateway -- gRPC (validate initData) --> Validator[Telegram validator]
-  Backend -. operator broadcasts (gRPC) .-> Telegram
+  Bot[Telegram bot] -. dials, reverse mTLS bot-link .-> Gateway
-  Telegram -- Bot API (via VPN sidecar) --> TgCloud((Telegram))
+  Gateway -- send commands (out-of-app push, broadcasts) --> Bot
+  Backend -. operator broadcasts (gRPC relay) .-> Gateway
+  Bot -- Bot API --> TgCloud((Telegram))
 ```
 
 The MVP runs `gateway` and `backend` as single-instance processes inside a
@@ -119,7 +126,11 @@ dropped). Horizontal scaling is explicit future work.
   and GCG are unaffected** (they stay decoded concrete characters, §9.1).
 - **gateway ↔ backend (sync)**: plain HTTP REST/JSON. The gateway injects
   `X-User-ID` for authenticated requests; `backend` never re-derives identity
-  from the body.
+  from the body. Because every sync call targets the one backend host, the
+  gateway's REST client widens its keep-alive pool well past the stdlib default
+  of 2 idle connections per host; otherwise the per-request connection churn
+  exhausts ephemeral ports and burns gateway CPU under load (see
+  [`../loadtest/REPORT.md`](../loadtest/REPORT.md)).
 - **backend → gateway (live)**: a single gRPC server-stream carries live events
   (your-turn, opponent-moved, chat, nudge). The gateway bridges them to the
   client's in-app stream while the app is open. Out-of-app delivery uses
@@ -132,19 +143,27 @@ signing, no anti-replay crypto** (these were considered and dropped — players
 arrive from a platform rather than completing a mandatory registration).
 
 - The gateway validates the originating credential **once** — Telegram `initData`
-  (delegated to the connector's `ValidateInitData` RPC, which holds the bot token —
+  (delegated to the **validator's** `ValidateInitData` RPC, which holds the bot token —
   the HMAC secret — so it never reaches the gateway), an email-code login, or a guest
   bootstrap — then mints a **thin opaque server session token** (`session_id`). First
   Telegram contact seeds the new account's language (from the launch `language_code`)
-  and display name (§4).
+  and display name (§4). The validator runs on the main host and never reaches the Bot
-- **Single bot.** The connector hosts **one unified bot** (one token + one optional
+  API, so login does not depend on Telegram or the remote bot being up (§10, §12).
-  game channel). `ValidateInitData` validates `initData` against that single token and
+- **Single bot.** The platform side-service runs **one bot** (one token + one optional
-  returns only the Telegram user identity — there is no per-bot "service language" and no
+  game channel), split into a home **validator** and a remote **bot** that share the
-  supported-languages set on the wire. The bot's chat messages and out-of-app push are
+  token. `ValidateInitData` (the validator) validates `initData` against that single
+  token and returns only the Telegram user identity — there is no per-bot "service
+  language" and no supported-languages set on the wire. The bot's chat messages and
+  out-of-app push are
   rendered in the recipient's **interface language** (`preferred_language`, en/ru), not in
   any bot-scoped language, and the friend-invite **share link** (and its caption) point at
   that one bot. First Telegram contact seeds the new account's `preferred_language` from the
-  launch `language_code` (§4); the interface language is otherwise edited in Settings.
+  launch `language_code` (§4), but the **interface language follows the device** — the system
+  guess, or an explicit Settings choice saved locally — and the bot never dictates the UI.
+  `preferred_language` is then **reconciled to the active interface locale on every session
+  adopt** (not only on a Settings change; a no-op for guests and when already equal), so the
+  server-rendered language surfaces — this push and the ad banner — always match the UI rather
+  than stranding a user who never opened Settings on the creation-time seed.
 - **Variant preferences (New Game gating).** Which variants a player may be matched into is a
   per-user **profile** setting — `variant_preferences`, a set of `engine.Variant` labels
   (`scrabble_en`, `scrabble_ru`, `erudit_ru`) edited on the Settings/Profile screen. New
@@ -207,7 +226,7 @@ arrive from a platform rather than completing a mandatory registration).
   payment; no purchase flow yet) is carried on the account and ORed on a merge.
 - **Linking** is initiated from an authenticated profile and proves
   control of the identity before attaching it: **email** through the confirm-code
-  flow, **Telegram** through the web **Login Widget** (validated by the connector,
+  flow, **Telegram** through the web **Login Widget** (validated by the validator,
   HMAC under `SHA-256(bot_token)` — distinct from Mini App initData; the gateway
   passes the trusted `external_id` to the backend, as for `auth.telegram`). The
   request step **always** sends/accepts the proof (no pre-send "already taken"
@@ -626,7 +645,7 @@ in either direction (the enqueue excludes the caller's `BlockedWith` set);
   **floats games with any unread entry to the top** of the your-turn and opponent-turn
   sections (the finished section keeps its activity order). On each clear the publish-to-read
   latency is recorded; the read time itself is not retained.
-- **Profile**: `preferred_language` (en/ru, edited in Settings), display name, email
+- **Profile**: `preferred_language` (en/ru; tracks the interface language — §4), display name, email
   (confirm-code binding, see §4), **timezone**, the daily **away window**, the
   **variant preferences** (`variant_preferences`, the matchable-variant set that gates New
   Game — §3, defaulting to Erudit only, at least one enforced) and the
@@ -635,7 +654,11 @@ in either direction (the enqueue excludes the caller's `BlockedWith` set);
   separators (no leading/trailing/adjacent separators, ≤ 32 runes); the timezone is a
   fixed `±HH:MM` **UTC offset** (or a legacy IANA name) resolved by `account.ResolveZone`
   for the sweeper and the robot's sleep (a fixed offset trades DST for a simple
-  picker); the away window is at most **12 h** (midnight-wrap aware). Linked platform
+  picker), and is **seeded at account creation** from the client's detected offset — sent
+  on the Telegram / guest / email first-contact request — so the robot's sleep and the
+  away-window sweeper are anchored to the player's real zone from the first game rather
+  than the `UTC` default (an undetected or malformed offset keeps the default); the away
+  window is at most **12 h** (midnight-wrap aware). Linked platform
   accounts and merge are covered in §4.
 
 ## 9. Persistence
@@ -800,18 +823,26 @@ missed while the app was hidden. **Out-of-app platform push** is a fallback
 the **gateway** routes from the same firehose: for an event whose recipient has **no
 live in-app stream** it resolves the backend `/internal/push-target` (their Telegram
 `external_id`, the recipient's **interface language** (`preferred_language`) as the render
-language, and the `notifications_in_app_only` flag). It then asks the **Telegram connector**
+language, and the `notifications_in_app_only` flag). It then pushes a deliver command over
-to deliver — through the **single bot** — a
+the **bot-link** to the remote **bot** — **fire-and-forget, best-effort** (dropped, with a
-localized message with a Mini App deep-link button, only when the recipient has a Telegram
+metric, when no bot is connected) — only when the recipient has a Telegram identity and has
-identity and has not confined notifications to the app, so the two channels never duplicate. The
+not confined notifications to the app, so the two channels never duplicate. The bot renders a
-connector renders the message in that language; there is no per-bot routing. The out-of-app set is
+localized message with a Mini App deep-link button in that language; there is no per-bot
+routing. The out-of-app set is
 your-turn, game-over, nudge and the **invitation** (a new invitation) / friend-request notify sub-kinds;
-the connector renders the message and skips the rest — so in-app-only sub-kinds like
+the bot renders the message and skips the rest — so in-app-only sub-kinds like
 **invitation-update** (a response/withdrawal lobby sync) and **user-blocked/-unblocked** (a
 block-state sync to the blocker) never become a platform push. Operator broadcasts
 (`SendToUser` / `SendToGameChannel`, §10 admin) render in an **operator-chosen** language in
-the console, sent through the same single bot. Session-revocation events and
+the console; the backend calls them on the **gateway's bot-link relay**, which forwards them
-cursor-based stream resume stay deferred (single-instance MVP).
+to the bot and **awaits its delivery ack** (so the console still reports delivered/not). Beyond
+messages the same bot-link carries a **chat-gate control path** — a `ChatGate` command sets a user's
+write access in the moderated discussion chat and the bot's unary `ResolveChatEligibility` resolves a
+joiner's eligibility (neither renders a message; see *Moderated discussion chat* below). An optional
+**standalone promo bot** runs in the bot container (`TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN`): a second bot
+answering `/start` with a URL button into the **main** bot's Mini App (`?startapp`, since a `web_app`
+button would sign initData with the promo token); it is self-contained — no bot-link, no gateway.
+Session-revocation events and cursor-based stream resume stay deferred (single-instance MVP).
 
 A separate **advertising-banner** channel feeds the client's one-line strip (UI_DESIGN.md),
 server-driven by `internal/ads`. An operator manages **campaigns** (each one placement order) in
@@ -845,14 +876,15 @@ edits take effect on the next `profile.get` (open/reconnect/foreground), not mid
 ## 11. Observability
 
 - Structured logging with `go.uber.org/zap` (JSON). OpenTelemetry tracer and
-  meter providers are wired in **all three services** (backend, gateway, the
+  meter providers are wired in **all services** (backend, gateway, the Telegram
-  Telegram connector) through a shared `pkg/telemetry` bootstrap, env-gated per
+  validator and bot) through a shared `pkg/telemetry` bootstrap, env-gated per
   service by `{BACKEND,GATEWAY,TELEGRAM}_OTEL_{TRACES,METRICS}_EXPORTER` with a
   default of `none` (so no collector is required locally or in CI). `stdout` is
   available for debugging; **`otlp`** (gRPC, endpoint from the standard
   `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_*` environment) exports to a collector. The Postgres pool is
   instrumented with otelsql and `otelgrpc` traces the backend↔gateway push stream
-  and the gateway↔connector calls. The OTLP **Collector** (OTLP/gRPC → Prometheus
+  and the gateway↔validator and bot-link calls; the gateway also exports
+  `botlink_connected_bots` and `botlink_commands_total` (by result) for the bot-link. The OTLP **Collector** (OTLP/gRPC → Prometheus
   metrics + Tempo traces), **Prometheus** (15d), **Tempo** (72h) and **Grafana**
   (provisioned datasources + dashboards, behind the caddy `/_gm/grafana` Basic-Auth)
   are stood up with the deploy (`deploy/`); the default exporter stays
@@ -907,6 +939,28 @@ edits take effect on the next `profile.get` (open/reconnect/foreground), not mid
   list/detail, cleared by the operator, **never an automatic ban** and never a request
   gate. The Edge/UX dashboard graphs the aggregate request rate against the rejection
   rate by class.
+- **Temporary IP ban (prod-only):** with `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED` set, the gateway
+  enforces a fail2ban-style block keyed by client IP, fed by three signals: an IP that
+  sustains `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_THRESHOLD` rate-limiter rejections within
+  `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_WINDOW` (the IP-keyed public/email/admin classes — the user class
+  stays the soft-flag's concern, never the ban's), a **honeypot** decoy-path hit, and a
+  **honeytoken** (a planted bearer no real client holds, `GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN`). A banned
+  IP is refused with **429** by an edge middleware (`abuseGuard`) before any work —
+  covering the Connect edge, the live stream and the static SPA/landing the per-op limiter
+  never gated. A rejection ban lasts `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_DURATION`; a tripwire/honeytoken
+  hit is near-zero-false-positive and earns a longer fixed ban (1 h / 24 h). The ban is
+  **in-memory, single-instance and resets on restart**, like `ratewatch`; each ban
+  increments `gateway_abuse_banned_total` (`reason` = rejections/tripwire/honeytoken). The
+  decoy paths live only in the contour **caddy**, which tags them with `X-Scrabble-Honeypot`
+  (stripping any client-supplied value) and routes them to the gateway. It is **off by
+  default and only enabled in prod**: the ban keys by real client IP, which the shared-NAT
+  test contour does not expose (every client arrives as one address), so a ban there would
+  be self-inflicted — the honeypot/honeytoken still **log** in the contour, only the ban
+  *action* is gated. Operators see the active bans and lift them on the admin console's
+  **Throttled** page; the gateway syncs its active set to the backend every 30 s
+  (`POST /api/v1/internal/bans/sync`, network-trusted like the rejection report) and applies
+  the operator unbans the response returns, so a manual unban takes effect within the sync
+  interval.
 - Unauthenticated `GET /healthz` (liveness) and `GET /readyz` (readiness — the
   database answers a bounded ping and the session cache is warmed).
 - The backend serves a **second listener** — a gRPC server
@@ -917,19 +971,22 @@ edits take effect on the next `profile.get` (open/reconnect/foreground), not mid
 
 | Concern | Enforced by |
 | --- | --- |
-| Public rate limiting / anti-abuse | gateway (per-IP public/email/admin classes, per-user authenticated class; a request body cap of `GATEWAY_MAX_BODY_BYTES`; rejections are metered, summarised to the backend and surfaced in the admin console with a conservative reversible auto-flag — §11) |
+| Public rate limiting / anti-abuse | gateway (per-IP public/email/admin classes, per-user authenticated class; a request body cap of `GATEWAY_MAX_BODY_BYTES`; rejections are metered, summarised to the backend and surfaced in the admin console with a conservative reversible auto-flag — §11). In prod a **temporary IP ban** (`GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED`) blocks an IP that sustains rejections or trips a **honeypot** decoy path / **honeytoken**, refused with 429 before any work; operators lift bans from the console. Off in the shared-NAT test contour, where the client IP is not real (§11) |
-| Telegram initData validation (bot-token HMAC) | the Telegram connector; the gateway delegates it over gRPC, so the bot token lives only in the connector |
+| Telegram initData validation (bot-token HMAC) | the Telegram **validator**; the gateway delegates it over gRPC, so the bot token (the HMAC secret) lives only in the validator and the bot, never in the gateway |
 | Session minting; email-code / guest validation | gateway (with backend) |
 | Session → `user_id` resolution, `X-User-ID` injection | gateway |
 | Authorisation, ownership, state transitions | backend (`X-User-ID` is the sole identity input) |
 | Manual account block (suspension) | backend: a per-request gate refuses a blocked account on every `/api/v1/user/*` route except the block-status probe with **403 `account_blocked`**; the operator blocks/unblocks from the admin console (§11) |
 | User feedback gate | backend rejects a guest or a `feedback_banned` account from submitting; the **gateway** also rejects a guest's `feedback.submit` (the `Op.NonGuest` flag + `is_guest` from session resolve) with **`guest_forbidden`** before any backend call; attachments are served `nosniff` with a download disposition for non-images (§15) |
 | Admin authentication | a single Basic-Auth gate on `/_gm/*`, forwarded **verbatim** to the backend's server-rendered admin console (and, in the deployed contour, routing `/_gm/grafana/*` to Grafana). In the deploy the **caddy** owns this gate (§13); a local non-caddy run uses the gateway's own `GATEWAY_ADMIN_*` proxy, which the per-IP admin limiter class guards ahead of its Basic-Auth — the caddy-fronted path has no limiter (stock caddy), an accepted gap. The backend trusts the proxy (no admin principal) and guards its state-changing POSTs with a **same-origin** check — the console's CSRF defence. No operator identity is tracked |
-| backend ↔ gateway ↔ connector trust | the network (only gateway may reach backend; the connector serves unauthenticated gRPC on the internal segment) |
+| backend ↔ gateway ↔ validator trust | the network (only gateway may reach backend; the validator and the gateway's admin bot-link relay serve unauthenticated gRPC on the trusted internal segment) |
+| remote bot ↔ gateway (bot-link) | **mutual TLS**: a private CA signs the gateway server cert and the bot client cert, and each verifies the other. The bot dials out (no inbound port, no static IP), so the channel is guarded solely by mTLS — the bot client key is as sensitive as the token (§13) |
 
 This is an explicit, accepted MVP risk: compromise of the gateway↔backend
 network segment defeats backend authentication. Mitigated by network isolation;
-mutual auth is a future hardening step.
+mutual auth is a future hardening step. The **bot-link** is the exception — it
+already uses mutual TLS, because it is the one inter-service link that leaves the
+trusted segment (the remote bot lives off the main host).
 
 **Manual account block (suspension).** Beyond the soft, reversible high-rate flag (§11, never a
 gate), an operator can hard-block an account from the admin console — permanently or until a
@@ -947,9 +1004,28 @@ revoked token would fail session resolution at the gateway *before* the gate, se
 login instead of the blocked screen). A block instantly **forfeits** every active game the player
 is in (the opponent wins, exactly as a resignation — the engine resigns off-turn) and cancels
 their open matchmaking games; a temporary block lapses automatically once its expiry passes (no
-sweeper — the gate recomputes against `now`). No operator identity is recorded (shared
+sweeper for the gate — it recomputes against `now`). No operator identity is recorded (shared
 Basic-Auth).
 
+**Moderated discussion chat.** A channel's linked discussion group is gated by the Telegram bot
+(`TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID`). The group **allows sending by default** and the bot only **restricts**: Telegram
+intersects the chat default with each user's permission, so a per-user grant can never exceed a
+deny-by-default group — the gate must mute the ineligible, not grant the eligible. A user may write
+while they are **registered and neither admin-suspended nor holding the chat-only `chat_muted` role**
+(`eligible = registered AND NOT suspended AND NOT chat_muted` — the game suspension dominates); the bot
+**mutes** an ineligible member and **un-mutes** an eligible one it had muted, leaving an already-allowed
+eligible member untouched (it acts only when the current state differs, so it is idempotent and never
+loops on its own change). A single backend resolver behind `POST /api/v1/internal/chat-access` answers
+both directions: the bot's `ResolveChatEligibility` on a `chat_member` event (over the mTLS bot-link),
+and a `chat_access_changed` event — emitted on a block/unblock, a `chat_muted` grant/revoke, a first
+Telegram registration, or a temporary block lapsing (a dedicated `account.SuspensionSweeper`, since no
+request fires then) — drives a `ChatGate` command the gateway pushes to the bot. The bot applies it
+only to a member currently in the chat (a per-user `getChatMember` probe, since bots cannot list
+members); the signal is idempotent and is never an in-app or out-of-app message. `chat_muted` is an
+`account_roles` entry (an operator toggle in the console), so it needs no schema change. The bot
+must be an administrator in the group with the **restrict-members** right and `chat_member` in its
+allowed updates.
+
 **Short numeric codes** (email confirm-codes and friend codes) are stored
 only as SHA-256 hashes and are short-lived and single-use. The unauthenticated
 email path carries a tight per-IP sub-limit (5 / 10 min); the **friend-code redeem**
@@ -964,8 +1040,9 @@ a dedicated redeem sub-limit or a longer code is the hardening step if abuse app
 Single public origin, path-routed. The Vite build has two entries: a lightweight
 **landing page** and the game **SPA**. The gateway **embeds** the SPA build
 (`go:embed`, baked in by a node stage in `gateway/Dockerfile`) and serves it at
-`/app/` (web) and `/telegram/` (the Telegram Mini App; outside Telegram that path
+`/app/` (web) and `/telegram/` (the Telegram Mini App; on that path without sign-in data
-redirects to the root — the client-side guard); a stray hit on the gateway's `/`
+— no `initData` — the client renders a compact, shareable launch-diagnostic screen instead
+of redirecting away); a stray hit on the gateway's `/`
 308-redirects to `/app/`. The **landing** ships in its own static container: the
 `landing` target of `gateway/Dockerfile` (caddy:2-alpine + the same Vite build,
 `deploy/landing/Caddyfile`) serves it at `/`, so stray public traffic is absorbed by
@@ -977,17 +1054,25 @@ routes `/_gm/grafana/*` to **Grafana** (anonymous-admin, so the one shared login
 it with no per-user Grafana accounts) and the rest of `/_gm/*` to the backend-rendered
 **admin console**; `/app/`, `/telegram/` and the Connect path go to the gateway; the
 catch-all — notably the landing at `/` — goes to the landing container. The
-**Telegram connector** runs as a separate container with **no public ingress** — it
+**Telegram validator** runs as a separate container with **no public ingress**,
-long-polls Telegram and egresses through a VPN sidecar, answering only internal gRPC.
+answering only internal gRPC (HMAC, no Telegram egress). The **Telegram bot** holds
+no inbound port either: it dials the gateway's **bot-link** (mTLS) and egresses to
+Telegram — through a VPN sidecar in the test contour, from a separate host in prod.
+The gateway exposes the bot-link on a dedicated mTLS gRPC listener
+(`GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR`, internal-only in the test contour, published in prod) plus a
+plaintext relay (`GATEWAY_BOTLINK_RELAY_ADDR`) the backend admin console calls.
 
 The full contour (`deploy/docker-compose.yml`) runs one `gateway`, one `backend`,
-one Postgres, the static `landing`, the connector (+ its VPN sidecar) and the **observability stack** —
+one Postgres, the static `landing`, the Telegram `validator` and `bot` (+ the bot's VPN
-OTel Collector (OTLP/gRPC ingest → Prometheus metrics + Tempo traces) and Grafana
+sidecar — the `bot`+`vpn` pair is gated to a `telegram-local` compose profile so the prod
-with provisioned datasources and dashboards. All three services export OTLP to the
+main host can omit them) and the **observability stack** —
-collector; the connector shares the VPN sidecar's netns, so its `AWG_CONF` must not
+OTel Collector (OTLP/gRPC ingest → Prometheus metrics + Tempo traces), a `node_exporter`
+for host CPU/memory (the prod main host's OOM signal), and Grafana
+with provisioned datasources and dashboards. All services export OTLP to the
+collector; the bot shares the VPN sidecar's netns, so its `AWG_CONF` must not
 carry a `DNS=` directive (that would hijack resolv.conf and stop it resolving
-`otelcol`; without it the netns uses Docker's resolver, which resolves both
+`otelcol` / `gateway`; without it the netns uses Docker's resolver, which resolves
-`otelcol` and `api.telegram.org`). Inter-service traffic uses a private `internal`
+`otelcol`, `gateway` and `api.telegram.org`). Inter-service traffic uses a private `internal`
 network (project-scoped DNS); only caddy joins the shared external `edge` network
 (alias `scrabble`).
 
@@ -1001,10 +1086,44 @@ Two contours, two secret/variable prefixes (`TEST_` / `PROD_`):
   private-range upstreams** (`trusted_proxies private_ranges`), so the real client IP —
   used for chat-moderation logging and the gateway's per-IP rate limiting — survives the
   host-caddy hop; in prod (no host caddy) public clients are untrusted and Caddy uses the
-  real peer, so the single config is correct and spoof-safe in both contours.
+  real peer, so the single config is correct and spoof-safe in both contours. The
-- **Prod**: a manual SSH deploy after `development → master`. There is no
+  **bot-link mTLS material** (a private CA + gateway/bot leaves, CN=`gateway`) is
-  host caddy, so the contour ships its own caddy terminating TLS — set
+  generated by `deploy/gen-certs.sh` before `compose up`; the bot keeps its VPN sidecar
-  `CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS` to the domain and the caddy does its own ACME.
+  for Telegram egress and dials the gateway by its internal name, so the bot-link stays
+  on the internal network.
+- **Prod**: a **manual** rollout — `.gitea/workflows/prod-deploy.yaml`, `workflow_dispatch`
+  only (from `master`, `confirm=deploy`), run after `development → master` is merged green.
+  It builds and pushes the images to the registry (`docker.iliadenisov.ru`), then deploys
+  over SSH onto **two hosts** provisioned by `deploy/ansible/` (docker, a non-sudo `deploy`
+  service account holding a dedicated CI key, key-only sshd, default-deny ufw, fail2ban):
+  the **main host** runs the full stack (`docker-compose.yml` + `docker-compose.prod.yml`),
+  the **bot host** runs only the bot (`docker-compose.bot.yml`, no VPN — native Bot API
+  egress, telemetry off). There is no host caddy, so the contour caddy terminates TLS —
+  `CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS` is the domain and caddy does its own ACME. Caddy advertises HTTP/3 by default, but UDP/443 is not exposed (the
+  compose maps only TCP and ufw opens 443/tcp), so the edge emits `Alt-Svc: clear` to keep
+  clients on h2/h1 rather than stall on a dead QUIC path — see [`EDGE_HTTP3.md`](EDGE_HTTP3.md).
+  The gateway **publishes**
+  the bot-link `:9443`; the remote bot dials it over mTLS (certs from `PROD_BOTLINK_*`,
+  ServerName `gateway`, so TLS validation is independent of the public dial address), holds
+  no inbound port, and login is unaffected if that host or the link is down.
+  `deploy/prod-deploy.sh` rolls the main stack **one service at a time in dependency order**
+  (postgres → backend → gateway → landing → validator → caddy), health-checking after each;
+  any failure **rolls the whole stack back to the previous image tag**. A **schema migration**
+  adds a maintenance window: the backend (the sole writer) is stopped for a consistent
+  `pg_dump` before the new backend migrates forward — image rollback stays DB-safe under the
+  expand-contract migration rule, and the dump is kept for a manual restore. The workflow runs
+  four visible jobs (build → deploy-main → deploy-bot → verify). Releases are git tags
+  `vX.Y.Z`; the version is stamped into the image tag, every binary (`-ldflags` → `pkg/version`
+  → the `service.version` telemetry attribute) and the SPA About screen. A separate manual
+  **`prod-rollback`** workflow re-deploys any prior release tag (blank input = the previous
+  deployed version, tracked on the host) over the same rolling, health-gated path — image-only,
+  no DB migration. The main host is
+  intentionally **launch-sized** (2 vCPU / 1.9 GiB): the prod overlay trims the baseline limits
+  (`GOMAXPROCS=2`, smaller caps, 7d Prometheus retention) and a **node_exporter** feeds
+  host-memory metrics to Grafana so it can be resized reactively as players arrive.
+  `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED=true` in prod (the per-IP ban is meaningful only with real
+  client IPs). The `vpn`+`bot` pair is gated to a `telegram-local` compose profile the test
+  contour activates; the prod main host omits it.
 
 ## 14. CI & branches
 
@@ -1022,11 +1141,11 @@ Two contours, two secret/variable prefixes (`TEST_` / `PROD_`):
   branch-protection required check (`CI / gate`), so a path-skipped job never blocks
   a merge.
 - A gated **`deploy`** job auto-rolls the **test contour** on a PR into — or a push
-  to — `development` (`docker compose up -d --build` on the runner host), then probes
+  to — `development` (it generates the bot-link certs, then `docker compose up -d
-  the gateway (`GET /`) **and the Telegram connector's liveness** (via
+  --build` on the runner host), then probes the gateway (`GET /`) **and the Telegram
-  `docker inspect`: running, not restarting, stable restart count, with a
+  validator's and bot's liveness** (via `docker inspect`: running, not restarting,
-  VPN-handshake grace period, since the connector has no public ingress and a
+  stable restart count, with a VPN-handshake grace period, since neither has public
-  crash-loop is otherwise invisible). A PR into `master` is test-only; the prod
+  ingress and a crash-loop is otherwise invisible). A PR into `master` is test-only; the prod
   deploy is the manual workflow. Secrets/variables are prefixed
   `TEST_`/`PROD_` per contour.
 - The engine consumes `scrabble-solver` as a **published, versioned module**
@@ -1043,9 +1162,11 @@ Two contours, two secret/variable prefixes (`TEST_` / `PROD_`):
 
 Players reach the operators through a **Feedback** screen (Settings → Info, registered accounts
 only). A message (≤1024 runes) plus an optional single attachment is stored in
-`feedback_messages`; the sender's IP (gateway-forwarded, as for chat) and the submitting
+`feedback_messages`; the sender's IP (gateway-forwarded, as for chat), the submitting
-**channel** (telegram/ios/android/web, client-reported and validated) are recorded. The domain
+**channel** (telegram/ios/android/web, client-reported and validated), the **client app version**
-is `internal/feedback` (store + service), modelled on the admin chat-moderation surface.
+(`__APP_VERSION__`, the build a report was sent from), the client's **detected UTC offset** at
+submit (`browser_tz`, `±HH:MM`) and a snapshot of the sender's interface language are recorded. The domain is `internal/feedback` (store + service), modelled on the admin
+chat-moderation surface.
 
 **Anti-spam.** A player with an unreviewed message (`read_at IS NULL`) cannot submit another; the
 gate is server-side. Because the operator must act before the next message, this is itself the
@@ -1053,8 +1174,11 @@ rate limit — there is no separate per-user feedback limiter.
 
 **Operator review** happens in the server-rendered console (`/_gm/feedback`): an
 unread / read / archived queue with per-user search (the `/users` glob masks), a detail card
-(user content rendered as auto-escaped `html/template` text), and the read / reply / archive /
+(user content rendered as auto-escaped `html/template` text; it shows the channel, interface
-delete / delete-all actions — each marks the message read; merely opening the detail does not.
+language and app version, and the filed time in three zones — UTC, the browser offset detected at
+submit, and the sender's saved profile zone, each `N/A` when not known), and the read /
+reply / archive / delete / delete-all actions — each marks the message read; merely opening the
+detail does not.
 The attachment is served from `/_gm/feedback/:id/attachment` with `X-Content-Type-Options:
 nosniff`: images inline (loaded only via `<img>`, which never executes — a renamed non-image is
 inert), everything else as an `application/octet-stream` download. The UI gates the attachment by

docs/EDGE_HTTP3.md

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+# Edge HTTP/3 (`Alt-Svc`) policy
+
+## TL;DR
+
+The edge **advertises HTTP/3 but does not actually serve it** (UDP/443 is not exposed),
+so we suppress the advert with `Alt-Svc: clear`. Advertising QUIC on `:443/udp` while
+that port is unreachable makes clients — notably the Telegram Mini App webview — stall
+on a dead QUIC connection before falling back to h2, which shows up as the app "hanging
+on load".
+
+## Symptom
+
+Opening the Mini App intermittently hangs on load: from a barely-noticeable pause to
+several seconds, sometimes a blank window that never finishes downloading `index.html`.
+Intermittent, worse after the first successful visit, reproduced on both the test
+contour and prod.
+
+## Root cause
+
+Caddy enables HTTP/3 by default on any TLS listener and emits
+`Alt-Svc: h3=":443"; ma=2592000` — telling every client "reach me over QUIC/UDP 443"
+and to cache that for 30 days. But UDP/443 is **never reachable end to end**:
+
+- **Test contour**: the host caddy publishes only `:443/tcp` (`docker port caddy` shows
+  no `udp`); QUIC packets from the internet are dropped.
+- **Prod**: `deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml` maps `"443:443"` (Docker = **TCP only**)
+  and `deploy/ansible/roles/main/tasks/main.yml` opens 443 `proto: tcp`. UDP/443 is
+  dropped at both the publish and the firewall.
+
+Caddy *does* bind `udp/443` inside the container and h3 works container-to-container
+(verified `http=3 code=200`), so the listener is healthy — it is simply not exposed.
+
+A client that cached the advert tries QUIC first on later opens, gets no response, and
+waits for the QUIC attempt to time out before falling back to TCP/h2. That wait is the
+stall. The very first visit (no cached `Alt-Svc`) uses h2 and is fast.
+
+The h2/TCP serving path itself is healthy: 30 fresh-TLS requests through the full path
+(host caddy -> contour caddy -> gateway) measured TTFB ~9.5 ms, total ~9.8 ms, no tail;
+`index.html` is ~1 KB.
+
+## Fix in place (option A — suppress the advert)
+
+Emit `Alt-Svc: clear`, which actively drops any cached alternative (better than merely
+deleting the header, which leaves the sticky 30-day cache in place):
+
+- **Prod / repo**: `deploy/caddy/Caddyfile` — a site-level `header Alt-Svc clear` (this
+  caddy terminates TLS in prod).
+- **Test contour**: the host caddy terminates TLS, so the fix lives there (homelab
+  config, outside this repo): `header Alt-Svc clear` on the `scrabble.*` site. The
+  in-compose caddy serves plain `:80` in test and never advertises h3, so the repo
+  directive is a harmless no-op there (the host caddy re-stamps the header).
+
+`header Alt-Svc clear` overrides Caddy's auto-advert (verified) and is site-scoped.
+
+### Verify
+
+The runner/prod host shell cannot reach the Docker bridge IPs directly, so probe from a
+container on the relevant network, using `--resolve` to hit the TLS-terminating caddy by
+its bridge IP (this also bypasses the public-IP NAT hairpin):
+
+```sh
+# <edge-ip> = the TLS-terminating caddy's IP on its network (docker inspect ... )
+docker run --rm --network edge curlimages/curl:latest -sS -D - -o /dev/null \
+  --resolve <host>:443:<edge-ip> https://<host>/telegram/ | grep -iE '^HTTP|^alt-svc'
+# expect: HTTP/2 200, and NO `alt-svc: h3=...` (the header is absent or `alt-svc: clear`)
+```
+
+## If it recurs — alternatives to try
+
+So we do not re-derive the diagnosis from scratch:
+
+1. **Re-confirm the advert is actually suppressed** with the verify command above. A
+   redeploy or a Caddy upgrade could regress it, or a client may still hold a cached
+   `h3` entry that has not yet been replaced by a `clear` (it needs one successful h2
+   response to receive the `clear`).
+2. **Option B — serve HTTP/3 for real** instead of suppressing it. Worth it only if we
+   actually want QUIC (the benefit is marginal for a ~1 KB shell plus hash-immutable
+   cached assets, and it adds UDP/QUIC attack surface):
+   - Publish UDP: add `"443:443/udp"` next to the TCP map in
+     `deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml` (and publish udp/443 on the test host caddy too).
+   - Open the firewall: add a `443 proto: udp` rule in
+     `deploy/ansible/roles/main/tasks/main.yml`.
+   - Drop the `header Alt-Svc clear` so Caddy advertises h3 again.
+   - Verify with an h3 client from inside the network:
+     `docker run --rm --network edge ymuski/curl-http3 curl --http3-only ...` should
+     return `http=3 code=200`.
+3. **Look past the edge** if the advert is suppressed and stalls persist. The h2 path is
+   fast server-side, so a remaining stall is most likely the client network / RTT / the
+   provider, not our stack. Re-run the timing loop (below) to confirm the server is
+   still <~10 ms TTFB before chasing the client side.
+
+## How this was diagnosed (method, to repeat)
+
+- The runner/prod host shell cannot reach the Docker bridge subnets, so all probing runs
+  from a throwaway container on the target network (`docker run --network <net>
+  curlimages/curl`), using `--resolve <host>:443:<edge-ip>` to bypass the public-IP NAT
+  hairpin and exercise the real TLS path.
+- Compare a fresh-connection timing loop (worst case, full TLS each time) against a
+  keepalive batch to separate handshake cost from serving cost:
+
+  ```sh
+  docker run --rm --network edge curlimages/curl:latest sh -c '
+    for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+      curl -sS -o /dev/null --resolve <host>:443:<edge-ip> \
+        -w "http=%{http_version} code=%{http_code} tls=%{time_appconnect} ttfb=%{time_starttransfer} total=%{time_total}\n" \
+        https://<host>/telegram/
+    done'
+  ```
+
+- `docker port <caddy>` shows whether `udp/443` is actually published; the response
+  `Alt-Svc` header shows what the edge advertises. The two disagreeing is the bug.

docs/FUNCTIONAL.md

@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@ ephemeral guest. The gateway validates the credential once and mints a thin
 session token; the backend resolves it to an internal `user_id`. A **Telegram Mini
 App** launch authenticates from the platform's signed `initData`, themes the UI to
 the Telegram colours, and — on first contact — seeds the new account's interface
-language from the Telegram client. Telegram runs a **single bot**: every player uses
+language from the Telegram client. If a launch cannot reach the backend (for example during a
+deployment), the Mini App retries quietly and then shows a small "couldn't load" screen with a
+**Retry** button, rather than dropping to the web sign-in, which has no place inside Telegram.
+Telegram runs a **single bot**: every player uses
 the same bot, and all of its chat and out-of-app notifications are written in the
-player's own **interface language** (en/ru). Guests are session-only with restricted features
+player's own **interface language** (en/ru). A separate optional **promo bot** can run alongside the
+main one — its only job is to answer `/start` with a short message and a button that opens the
+**main** bot's app, where the player picks their game variant; it is an onboarding entry point that
+touches nothing else. Guests are session-only with restricted features
 (auto-match only; no friends, stats or history); an abandoned guest that never
 joined a game and has been idle past the retention window is garbage-collected. While the app is open the client
 keeps a live stream and receives in-app updates in real time — the opponent's move,
@@ -53,6 +59,10 @@ reconnect), and pending reads resume on their own — the interface stays usable
 flashing a red banner each time.
 
 ### Accounts, linking & merge
+_Sign-in is currently provider-only, so the in-profile linking UI is temporarily hidden; it
+returns once the anonymous `/app/` guest (whose upgrade path this is) ships. The flow below
+describes it for when it does._
+
 First platform contact auto-provisions a durable account. From the profile a player
 links an email (via a confirm code) or their Telegram (via the web sign-in); a guest
 who links their first identity becomes a durable account. The "already taken" status
@@ -65,6 +75,10 @@ account is kept and the guest's games move into it. A merge is blocked only whil
 two accounts share a game still in progress.
 
 ### Lobby & matchmaking
+On a cold open the lobby greets the player with a brief **loading splash** — Scrabble tiles
+spelling **ЭРУДИТ / ЗАГРУЗКА / ОЖИДАНИЕ** as a small crossword — that clears the moment the
+games list is ready, so the list never flashes an "empty" state on a slow connection.
+
 The lobby lists **my games** and offers a bottom tab bar — new game, statistics, and a
 **⚙️ settings** tab opening the settings hub (settings, profile, friends, about). The
 **my games** list groups games into three
@@ -199,6 +213,9 @@ block **overrides but does not delete** an existing friendship (so you may block
 they keep seeing you as one); active games are never interrupted — you can finish them, with
 the blocked opponent's chat composer hidden (only the log remains). Blocking from a game card
 mirrors the block in **Settings → Friends**; **unblock** and **unfriend** live there only.
+On Settings → Friends each friend is a one-line row whose right-hand kebab (⋮) slides open
+**block 🚫** and **remove ✖️** icon actions, and each action is gated by a confirmation
+that names the friend (*Block this player?* / *Remove from friends?*).
 Blocking an **auto-match opponent who is secretly a robot** behaves the same in that game
 (struck name, hidden composer) and lists the blocked opponent under the name you saw, but is
 recorded only against that game — the disguise holds, the shared robot is never globally
@@ -227,7 +244,8 @@ also clears the moment its recipient **takes their move**.
 Edit the display name (letters joined by a single space / "." / "_" separator, with an
 optional trailing "." or a trailing run of up to five digits, up to 32 characters and at most
 5 special characters — the "." / "_" punctuation, spaces and digits aside), the timezone
-(chosen as a UTC offset), the
+(chosen as a UTC offset, and pre-filled from your device's detected offset when the account
+is first created — so robot games are timed correctly before you ever open this form), the
 daily away window (on a 10-minute grid, at most 12 hours, wrapping midnight) and the
 block toggles. The profile form is edited inline (no separate edit mode). Linking
 an email or Telegram and merging accounts are covered under "Accounts, linking &
@@ -285,7 +303,7 @@ release archive, preview the words added and removed per variant against the act
 dictionary, then install — which writes the version, loads it and makes it active;
 versions are immutable and games in progress keep their own), and the **pending
 wordlist changes** derived from accepted complaints (which feed the offline rebuild
-and are marked applied after an update). When a Telegram connector is configured an operator can also
+and are marked applied after an update). When the Telegram bot channel is configured an operator can also
 **message a user** (by their Telegram identity) or **post to the game channel**.
 State-changing actions are protected by a same-origin check; the console tracks no
 operator identity.
@@ -295,8 +313,14 @@ recently throttled users/IPs the gateway reported (an in-memory window — it re
 a backend restart) and the accounts currently carrying the soft **high-rate flag**. An
 account sustaining rejections past a tunable threshold is flagged automatically —
 the marker is reversible, shown as a badge in the user list and on the user card, and
-**never blocks play**; the operator reviews and clears it from the user card. There is
+**never blocks play**; the operator reviews and clears it from the user card. The
-no automatic ban.
+account flag itself is never a ban. In **production** the same page also lists the
+**active IP bans** the gateway is enforcing: a temporary block of a client IP that
+floods the service past a threshold, or trips a hidden **honeypot** path or a planted
+**honeytoken** — a high-confidence sign of a scanner or hostile bot, never a normal
+player. Each ban shows its reason and expiry with an **Unban** action; bans auto-expire
+and the operator can lift one early. IP bans are a production-only safeguard — the
+shared test environment cannot tell its clients apart, so it does not enforce them.
 
 The console also lets an operator **manually block** an account — the hard counterpart to the
 soft high-rate flag. From the user card the operator blocks the account **permanently** or
@@ -310,6 +334,14 @@ plus the reason when one was given, and the app stops all background traffic wit
 temporary block lifts itself when it expires; the operator can also **unblock** from the user card
 at any time (games already lost stay lost).
 
+Where the bot manages a channel's **linked discussion chat**, everyone may write by default and the
+bot **mutes** a player who is **not registered** or is **blocked**, un-muting them once they register
+or are unblocked. So an unregistered newcomer who comments is muted (the promo bot points them at the
+game to register, after which the bot restores their voice), and a registered, unblocked player simply
+writes. An operator can also **mute a player in the chat only** — a `chat_muted` role on the user card —
+without a full account block; an account block mutes them in the chat regardless. Muting and unmuting
+take effect for a player already in the chat; one who is not in it is unaffected until they next join.
+
 From the user card the operator can also **top up a player's hint wallet**: an additive grant
 (1–100 hints per action) that raises the balance shown on the card. Grants are **raise-only** —
 the console can never lower a wallet (a player only loses hints by spending them in a game), so an
@@ -317,8 +349,10 @@ over-grant cannot be reversed there.
 
 The console works a **feedback** queue too (`/_gm/feedback`): the messages players sent, filtered
 **unread / read / archived** with per-user search, each shown with its sender, source, channel
-(with the connector bot language — en/ru — for a Telegram message), the sender's interface
+(with the bot language — en/ru — for a Telegram message), the sender's interface
-language, IP and any attachment. The operator can mark a message read, **reply** to the player (delivered
+language, the **app version** it was sent from, IP, the filed time (in three zones — UTC, the
+browser zone detected at submit, and the sender's saved zone, each shown `N/A` when not known) and
+any attachment. The operator can mark a message read, **reply** to the player (delivered
 in-app), archive it, delete it, or delete every message from that player — and, alongside a delete,
 **bar the player from feedback** (a `feedback_banned` role, distinct from a full account block: it
 stops only feedback submission). Roles are listed and granted/revoked on the user card. Opening a

docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md

@@ -32,9 +32,15 @@ top-1 подсказку, безлимитную проверку слова с
 session-токен; backend сопоставляет его с внутренним `user_id`. Запуск **Telegram
 Mini App** авторизует по подписанным `initData` платформы, перекрашивает интерфейс
 в цвета Telegram и — при первом контакте — задаёт язык интерфейса нового аккаунта по
-языку Telegram-клиента. Telegram держит **единого бота**: все игроки пользуются одним
+языку Telegram-клиента. Если запуск не может достучаться до бэкенда (например, во время
+деплоя), Mini App тихо повторяет попытки, а затем показывает небольшой экран «не удалось
+загрузить» с кнопкой **Повторить**, вместо того чтобы сбрасывать на веб-вход, которому внутри
+Telegram не место. Telegram держит **единого бота**: все игроки пользуются одним
 и тем же ботом, а весь его чат и внеприложенческие уведомления пишутся на **языке
-интерфейса** самого игрока (en/ru). Гость — только сессия, с урезанными функциями (только
+интерфейса** самого игрока (en/ru). Рядом с основным может работать отдельный опциональный
+**промо-бот** — его единственная задача отвечать на `/start` коротким сообщением и кнопкой,
+открывающей приложение **основного** бота, где игрок выбирает нужный вариант игры; это точка входа
+для онбординга, не затрагивающая больше ничего. Гость — только сессия, с урезанными функциями (только
 авто-подбор; без друзей, статистики и истории); заброшенный гость, не вошедший ни
 в одну игру и простаивавший дольше окна удержания, удаляется сборщиком. Пока приложение открыто, клиент
 держит живой стрим и получает обновления в реальном времени — ход соперника, ваш ход,
@@ -54,6 +60,10 @@ Mini App** авторизует по подписанным `initData` плат
 рабочим вместо красного баннера каждый раз.
 
 ### Аккаунты, привязка и слияние
+_Вход сейчас только через провайдера, поэтому UI привязки в профиле временно скрыт; он
+вернётся, когда появится анонимный `/app/`-гость (для апгрейда которого он и нужен). Описание
+ниже — на этот случай._
+
 Первый контакт с платформы заводит постоянный аккаунт. Из профиля игрок
 привязывает email (по confirm-коду) или свой Telegram (через веб-вход); гость,
 привязавший первую личность, становится постоянным аккаунтом. Факт «личность уже
@@ -66,6 +76,10 @@ Mini App** авторизует по подписанным `initData` плат
 запрещено, только пока у аккаунтов есть общая незавершённая игра.
 
 ### Лобби и подбор
+При холодном запуске лобби встречает игрока короткой **заставкой загрузки** — фишки Scrabble
+складывают небольшой кроссворд из слов **ЭРУДИТ / ЗАГРУЗКА / ОЖИДАНИЕ** — и она исчезает, как
+только список игр готов, поэтому на медленном соединении список не мигает «пустым» состоянием.
+
 В лобби — список **мои игры** и нижний tab-bar (новая игра, статистика и вкладка
 **⚙️ настройки**, открывающая хаб настроек — настройки, профиль, друзья, о программе).
 Список **мои игры** разбит на три секции —
@@ -204,6 +218,9 @@ Mini App** авторизует по подписанным `initData` плат
 заблокированного соперника «подвал» чата скрыт (остаётся только лог). Блокировка с карточки в
 партии повторяет блокировку в **Настройках → Друзья**; **разблокировка** и **удаление из друзей**
 есть только там.
+В **Настройках → Друзья** каждый друг — однострочник, чей правый кебаб (⋮) выдвигает
+иконки-действия **заблокировать 🚫** и **удалить ✖️**, и каждое действие подтверждается
+диалогом с именем друга (*Заблокировать?* / *Удалить из друзей?*).
 Блокировка **авто-матч соперника, который втайне робот**, в этой партии ведёт себя так же
 (зачёркнутое имя, скрытый «подвал») и в списке заблокированных показывается под тем именем,
 которое ты видел, но записывается только для этой партии — маскировка сохраняется, общий
@@ -234,8 +251,9 @@ Mini App** авторизует по подписанным `initData` плат
 Редактирование отображаемого имени (буквы, разделённые одиночным пробелом / «.» /
 «_», с необязательной завершающей «.» или хвостом до пяти цифр, до 32 символов и не
 более 5 спецсимволов — пунктуации «.» / «_», пробелы и цифры не в счёт), таймзоны (выбор смещения от
-UTC), суточного окна отсутствия (away; сетка по 10 минут, не более 12 часов, с
+UTC; при создании аккаунта она подставляется из определённого смещения устройства — чтобы
-переходом через полночь) и переключателей блокировок. Форма профиля редактируется
+игры с роботом таймились правильно ещё до открытия этой формы), суточного окна отсутствия
+(away; сетка по 10 минут, не более 12 часов, с переходом через полночь) и переключателей блокировок. Форма профиля редактируется
 сразу (без отдельного режима редактирования). Привязка email и Telegram, а также
 слияние аккаунтов вынесены в раздел «Аккаунты, привязка и слияние».
 
@@ -293,7 +311,7 @@ identity, их игры) и **игры** — сводка, места, запи
 активной; версии неизменяемы, а идущие партии остаются на своей) и **список ожидающих
 правок**, выведенный из принятых жалоб (он питает офлайн-пересборку и отмечается
 применённым после обновления). Если
-подключён Telegram-коннектор, оператор также может **написать пользователю** (по его
+подключён Telegram-бот, оператор также может **написать пользователю** (по его
 Telegram-identity) или **отправить пост в игровой канал**. Изменяющие действия
 защищены проверкой same-origin; личность оператора не отслеживается.
 
@@ -303,7 +321,14 @@ Telegram-identity) или **отправить пост в игровой кан
 флагом**. Аккаунт, устойчиво превышающий настраиваемый порог отказов, помечается
 автоматически — маркер обратим, виден бейджем в списке пользователей и на карточке
 аккаунта и **никогда не блокирует игру**; оператор рассматривает и снимает его с
-карточки пользователя. Автоматического бана нет.
+карточки пользователя. Сам флаг аккаунта баном не является. В **проде** та же
+страница дополнительно перечисляет **активные баны по IP**, которые применяет gateway:
+временную блокировку IP клиента, превысившего порог наплыва, либо задевшего скрытую
+**honeypot**-ловушку или подброшенный **honeytoken** — высокодостоверный признак
+сканера или враждебного бота, но не нормального игрока. У каждого бана показаны причина
+и срок, рядом действие **Unban**; баны истекают сами, а оператор может снять бан раньше.
+Баны по IP — защита только для прода: общий тестовый контур не различает своих клиентов,
+поэтому там не применяется.
 
 Консоль также позволяет оператору **вручную заблокировать** аккаунт — жёсткий аналог мягкого
 high-rate флага. С карточки пользователя оператор блокирует аккаунт **навсегда** или **до даты**
@@ -318,6 +343,15 @@ high-rate флага. С карточки пользователя операт
 истечении срока; оператор также может **разблокировать** с карточки пользователя в любой момент
 (уже проигранные партии не возвращаются).
 
+Там, где бот ведёт **привязанный к каналу чат-обсуждение**, по умолчанию писать может каждый, а бот
+**глушит** игрока, который **не зарегистрирован** или **заблокирован**, и снимает мьют, как только тот
+зарегистрируется или будет разблокирован. То есть незарегистрированного новичка, написавшего в чат,
+бот глушит (промо-бот направляет его в игру зарегистрироваться, после чего бот возвращает голос), а
+зарегистрированный незаблокированный игрок просто пишет. Оператор также может **замьютить игрока только
+в чате** — роль `chat_muted` на карточке пользователя — без полной блокировки аккаунта; блокировка
+аккаунта всё равно мьютит его в чате. Мьют и размьют срабатывают для игрока, уже находящегося в чате;
+того, кого в чате нет, это не затрагивает до его следующего входа.
+
 С карточки пользователя оператор также может **пополнить кошелёк подсказок** игрока: аддитивное
 начисление (1–100 подсказок за раз), которое **только увеличивает** баланс на карточке. Начисления
 **только в плюс** — понизить кошелёк из консоли нельзя (игрок теряет подсказки только тратя их в
@@ -325,8 +359,9 @@ high-rate флага. С карточки пользователя операт
 
 Консоль ведёт и очередь **обратной связи** (`/_gm/feedback`): присланные игроками сообщения с фильтром
 **непрочитанные / прочитанные / архив** и поиском по пользователю, каждое — с отправителем, источником,
-каналом (и языком бота-коннектора — en/ru — для сообщения из Telegram), языком интерфейса отправителя,
+каналом (и языком бота — en/ru — для сообщения из Telegram), языком интерфейса отправителя,
-IP и вложением. Оператор может пометить сообщение прочитанным, **ответить** игроку (доставка
+**версией приложения**, с которой отправлено, IP, временем подачи (в трёх зонах — UTC, зоне браузера
+на момент отправки и сохранённой зоне отправителя, каждая — «N/A», если неизвестна) и вложением. Оператор может пометить сообщение прочитанным, **ответить** игроку (доставка
 в приложение), отправить в архив, удалить или удалить все сообщения этого игрока — и вместе с удалением
 **запретить игроку обратную связь** (роль `feedback_banned`, отличная от полной блокировки аккаунта:
 останавливает только отправку обратной связи). Роли перечислены и выдаются/снимаются на карточке

docs/TESTING.md

@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ tests or touching CI.
   Postgres-backed `inttest` drives the **guest reaper** end to end (an abandoned guest is
   reaped; a too-young guest, a seated guest and a durable account are kept).
 - **Load test & resource baseline** — a reusable `loadtest/` module
-  (`scrabble/loadtest`) is the pre-release stress harness. It **seeds** a large account
+  (`scrabble/loadtest`) is the stress/load harness. It **seeds** a large account
   population with pre-created sessions directly in Postgres (token hashes matching
   `backend/internal/session`), **drives** virtual players through the edge protocol —
   real games assembled via invitations, **mid-ranked** legal moves generated locally by
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ tests or touching CI.
   engine tests do). It is **not** part of the per-PR suite's behavioural assertions: it
   runs ad hoc as a one-shot container against the contour, producing a trip report (bugs
   + a per-container resource profile) read off the **otelcol `docker_stats` +
-  postgres_exporter** Grafana dashboard on the contour. Two passes are recorded — the
+  postgres_exporter** Grafana dashboard on the contour. The findings — including the
-  early [`REPORT-R2.md`](../loadtest/REPORT-R2.md) and the final, tuned
+  `game.evaluate` hot-path model and the gateway→backend connection-pool fix — are written
-  [`REPORT-R7.md`](../loadtest/REPORT-R7.md). See [`../loadtest/README.md`](../loadtest/README.md).
+  up in [`REPORT.md`](../loadtest/REPORT.md). See [`../loadtest/README.md`](../loadtest/README.md).
 - **User feedback** — `internal/feedback` unit tests cover the attachment allow-list /
   content-type and the channel normaliser; the UI covers `detectChannel`, the attachment gate and
   the feedback wire round-trip (`channel` / `feedback` / `codec` tests) plus a Playwright e2e
@@ -154,13 +154,12 @@ tests or touching CI.
 - No network or real platform calls in unit tests; validate platform
   credentials behind an interface seam and test with fixtures.
 
-## Per-stage CI gate
+## CI gate
 
-Every completed stage is exercised on `gitea.iliadenisov.ru` before it is marked
+Every change is exercised on `gitea.iliadenisov.ru` before it is merged:
-done in [`../PLAN.md`](../PLAN.md):
 
-1. Commit the stage on its `feature/*` branch.
+1. Commit the change on its `feature/*` branch.
 2. Push to `origin`.
 3. Watch the run to completion — never hand-roll a poll loop:
    `python3 ~/.claude/bin/gitea-ci-watch.py` (launch in the background).
-4. Only after every workflow that fired is green may the stage be marked done.
+4. Only after every workflow that fired is green may the change be merged.

docs/UI_DESIGN.md

@@ -8,7 +8,13 @@ emoji glyphs. Tokens are CSS custom properties (`ui/src/app.css`), light/dark vi
 `prefers-color-scheme` or an explicit Settings choice, and **Telegram-themed**:
 on a Telegram Mini App launch — the app is served under `/telegram/` and detects the
 launch by `Telegram.WebApp.initData` — the SDK's `themeParams` override the tokens at
-runtime; opened outside Telegram, the `/telegram/` path redirects to the site root.
+runtime; on that path without sign-in data (no `initData` — outside Telegram, or a Mini App
+launch that delivered none, as seen on some Android clients) the app renders a compact,
+shareable launch-diagnostic screen (`screens/TelegramLaunchError.svelte`) rather than
+redirecting to the site root. `telegram-web-app.js` is loaded **dynamically with a timeout**,
+only on a Telegram entry — not a render-blocking `<script>` in the shared `index.html` shell —
+so a network that blocks `telegram.org` cannot hang the page; `/app/` (web) and the native build
+never load it.
 
 ## Layout shell (`components/Screen.svelte`)
 
@@ -20,6 +26,29 @@ the game** (`growNav`) does the nav bar grow to absorb spare height, so the stri
 the title while the board and controls pin to the **bottom** for thumb reach. Every screen
 except Login uses `Screen`.
 
+## Loading splash (`components/Splash.svelte`)
+
+On a **cold app open** the lobby is the landing screen, but its game list arrives over the
+network — on a slow link the empty "no games yet" line would flash before the games load. A
+full-screen **tile splash** covers that gap: it lays a small Scrabble crossword out of the
+words **ЭРУДИТ** / **ЗАГРУЗКА** / **ОЖИДАНИЕ**, tile by tile, until the lobby's first load
+settles, then removes itself to reveal the populated list. The tiles carry their **Эрудит
+point values** (hardcoded in `lib/splash.ts`, since the alphabet table the board's
+`valueForLetter` reads is not cached yet at boot) and mirror a placed board tile's look
+(cream stock, bottom edge, drop shadow). The words form a 6×8 crossword: ЭРУДИТ horizontal,
+ЗАГРУЗКА and ОЖИДАНИЕ vertical, crossing it through the shared **Р** and **Д** (laid once).
+
+It is an **App-level overlay** shown while `routeIsLobby && !app.splashDone` (so it also
+covers the session bootstrap; a deep-link to another screen is not covered). The lobby sets
+`app.lobbyReady` when its first load settles (success **or** error). Each word is laid, then
+**held ~0.25 s** so it stays readable, and only after that hold does the readiness check fire —
+so a word never blinks away the instant it finishes. ЭРУДИТ lays + holds over ~1.25 s, then the
+splash loops ЗАГРУЗКА → ОЖИДАНИЕ (clearing back to ЭРУДИТ between rounds) until ready, so even a
+fast load shows it for ~1.25 s. Each tile **drops in** with a brief scale + fade. Under **reduced motion**
+(or the mock build, to keep the Playwright smoke unblocked) it shows a static ЭРУДИТ and
+dismisses as soon as the lobby is ready. The pure layout and timing live in `lib/splash.ts`
+(unit-tested); `Splash.svelte` is the renderer.
+
 ## Navigation
 
 - **Back**: a thin, compact `<` drawn from two rotated CSS borders (`Header.svelte`
@@ -86,7 +115,10 @@ except Login uses `Screen`.
 ## Tiles & board
 
 - **Tiles**: the letter sits in the **top-left** corner (offset a touch more than the
-  value), the point value bottom-right; blanks show no value.
+  value), the point value bottom-right; blanks show no value. In **Erudit** the blank is the
+  "звёздочка" (star) chip: an unplaced blank shows the star (`✻`, U+273B) centred on the rack
+  tile, and a placed blank carries it in the value corner; the Scrabble variants leave the
+  blank unmarked (`usesStarBlank` in `lib/variants.ts`).
 - **Board zoom** (`Board.svelte`): a two-state zoom (full 15×15 ↔ ~9 cells) by **growing
   the board's width** inside a fixed-size viewport (a real layout change → native scroll
   that works consistently across browsers; no `transform`, which broke scrolling

gateway/Dockerfile

@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ RUN rm gateway/internal/webui/dist/landing.html
 # Reduce the workspace to what the gateway needs: gateway + pkg (loadtest is not in
 # this context; its scrabble/gateway replace targets ./gateway, which is present here).
 RUN go work edit -dropuse=./backend -dropuse=./platform/telegram -dropuse=./loadtest
-RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -trimpath -o /out/gateway ./gateway/cmd/gateway
+# 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/gateway ./gateway/cmd/gateway
 
 # --- runtime -----------------------------------------------------------------
 FROM gcr.io/distroless/static-debian12:nonroot AS gateway

gateway/README.md

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ proto/edge/v1/          # Connect envelope contract (committed generated Go)
 internal/config/        # GATEWAY_* env config
 internal/backendclient/ # typed REST client (+ X-User-ID) and push gRPC client
 internal/session/       # in-memory session cache (LRU/TTL, backend fallback)
-internal/ratelimit/     # token-bucket limiter (golang.org/x/time/rate) + the rejection tracker
+internal/ratelimit/     # token-bucket limiter (golang.org/x/time/rate) + the rejection tracker + the temporary IP banlist
 internal/connector/     # gRPC client to the Telegram connector (initData validate, out-of-app push) + routing
 internal/push/          # live-event fan-out hub (per-user client streams)
 internal/transcode/     # FlatBuffers<->REST bridge + message_type registry
@@ -45,10 +45,14 @@ operations are unauthenticated and return the minted token. A unary domain
 outcome rides back in `ExecuteResponse.result_code` (HTTP 200); only edge
 failures become Connect error codes.
 
-`auth.telegram` validates the Mini App `initData` by calling the **Telegram connector**
+`auth.telegram` validates the Mini App `initData` by calling the **Telegram validator**
-(`GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR`), which holds the bot token; the gateway also routes
+(`GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR`), which holds the bot token (HMAC); out-of-app push for
-out-of-app push to that connector for recipients with no live in-app stream
+recipients with no live in-app stream goes to the remote **bot** over the reverse **mTLS
-(ARCHITECTURE.md §10). When `GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR` is unset, both are disabled.
+bot-link** (`GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR`, fire-and-forget), and the backend admin broadcasts
+arrive on the gateway's plaintext **relay** (`GATEWAY_BOTLINK_RELAY_ADDR`) which forwards
+them down the same link and awaits the bot's ack (ARCHITECTURE.md §10/§12). When
+`GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR` is unset Telegram auth is disabled; when `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR`
+is unset the bot channel (out-of-app push + admin relay) is disabled.
 
 The message-type catalog: `auth.telegram`, `auth.guest`,
 `auth.email.request`, `auth.email.login`, `profile.get`, `game.submit_play`,
@@ -63,7 +67,7 @@ refetch). The social/account/history ops —
 transcode pattern (`transcode_social.go`). Account linking & merge
 — `link.email.request/confirm/merge` and `link.telegram.confirm/merge`
 (`transcode_link.go`); the telegram ops validate the **Login Widget** payload via the
-connector (`ValidateLoginWidget`) and forward the trusted `external_id`. These
+validator (`ValidateLoginWidget`) and forward the trusted `external_id`. These
 **superseded** the former `email.bind.*` ops, which were removed.
 
 ## Configuration
@@ -76,11 +80,20 @@ connector (`ValidateLoginWidget`) and forward the trusted `external_id`. These
 | `GATEWAY_BACKEND_GRPC_ADDR` | `localhost:9090` | backend push gRPC address |
 | `GATEWAY_BACKEND_TIMEOUT` | `5s` | per backend REST call |
 | `GATEWAY_ADMIN_USER` / `GATEWAY_ADMIN_PASSWORD` | unset | enable + guard the admin console at `/_gm` |
-| `GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR` | unset | Telegram connector gRPC address (enables initData validation + out-of-app push) |
+| `GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR` | unset | Telegram validator gRPC address (enables initData / Login Widget validation) |
+| `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR` | unset | reverse mTLS bot-link listener the remote bot dials (enables out-of-app push + admin relay) |
+| `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_RELAY_ADDR` | unset | plaintext internal listener serving the backend admin `SendToUser`/`SendToGameChannel` relay |
+| `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_TLS_CERT` / `_KEY` / `_CA` | unset | gateway server cert, its key, and the CA that signs accepted bot client certs (required when `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR` is set) |
+| `GATEWAY_BOTLINK_SEND_TIMEOUT` | `5s` | admin relay wait for the bot ack before reporting not-delivered |
 | `GATEWAY_SESSION_TTL` | `10m` | cached session lifetime |
 | `GATEWAY_SESSION_CACHE_MAX` | `50000` | cached session cap |
 | `GATEWAY_PUSH_HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL` | `10s` | live-stream keep-alive (an immediate heartbeat also fires on open, under the ~15s edge idle timeout) |
 | `GATEWAY_MAX_BODY_BYTES` | `1048576` | caps one request body and one Connect message read; an oversized Execute is refused with `resource_exhausted` |
+| `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED` | `false` | enable the temporary IP ban (prod-only — keys by real client IP, off in the shared-NAT test contour) |
+| `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_THRESHOLD` | `100` | rate-limiter rejections within the window that ban an IP |
+| `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_WINDOW` | `2m` | rolling window the rejection strikes accumulate over |
+| `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_DURATION` | `15m` | length of a rejection-earned ban (tripwire 1h, honeytoken 24h are fixed) |
+| `GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN` | unset | planted bearer value; presenting it bans the caller and raises an alarm |
 | `GATEWAY_SERVICE_NAME` | `scrabble-gateway` | OpenTelemetry `service.name` |
 | `GATEWAY_OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER` | `none` | `none`, `stdout` or `otlp` (gRPC; endpoint from `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_*`) |
 | `GATEWAY_OTEL_METRICS_EXPORTER` | `none` | `none`, `stdout` or `otlp` |
@@ -96,6 +109,19 @@ per-key rejection tracker every 30 s, emits a Warn summary per throttled key and
 posts the report to the backend (`/api/v1/internal/ratelimit/report`), feeding
 the admin console's throttled view and the high-rate auto-flag.
 
+Temporary IP ban (prod-only, `GATEWAY_ABUSE_BAN_ENABLED`): a fail2ban-style block
+keyed by client IP, fed by sustained rate-limiter rejections (the IP-keyed classes),
+a **honeypot** decoy-path hit (the contour caddy tags decoy paths with
+`X-Scrabble-Honeypot`), and a **honeytoken** (`GATEWAY_HONEYTOKEN`). A banned IP is
+refused with 429 by the `abuseGuard` edge middleware before any work — covering the
+Connect edge, the live stream and the static SPA/landing. Each ban increments
+`gateway_abuse_banned_total{reason}` (`rejections`/`tripwire`/`honeytoken`). The ban
+is in-memory (resets on restart); it is **off by default** because it keys by the real
+client IP, which the shared-NAT test contour does not expose (detection still logs
+there, only the ban action is gated). The gateway syncs its active set to the backend
+every 30 s (`/api/v1/internal/bans/sync`) for the console's **Active IP bans** panel
+and applies the operator unbans the response returns.
+
 ## Run
 
 ```sh

gateway/cmd/gateway/main.go

@@ -9,16 +9,23 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/keepalive"
 
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/admin"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/backendclient"
+	"scrabble/gateway/internal/botlink"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/config"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/connector"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/connectsrv"
@@ -26,9 +33,23 @@ import (
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/ratelimit"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/session"
 	"scrabble/gateway/internal/transcode"
+	"scrabble/pkg/mtls"
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+	telegramv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/telegram/v1"
 	pkgtel "scrabble/pkg/telemetry"
 )
 
+const (
+	// botLinkKeepaliveTime is how often the gateway pings an idle bot-link stream
+	// to hold the WAN connection open and detect a dead bot.
+	botLinkKeepaliveTime = 30 * time.Second
+	// botLinkKeepaliveTimeout bounds the wait for a keepalive ping reply.
+	botLinkKeepaliveTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+	// botLinkMinPingInterval is the smallest client ping interval the gateway
+	// tolerates before treating it as abuse.
+	botLinkMinPingInterval = 10 * time.Second
+)
+
 const (
 	// shutdownTimeout bounds the graceful HTTP shutdown.
 	shutdownTimeout = 10 * time.Second
@@ -47,6 +68,9 @@ const (
 	// throttleReportInterval is the cadence of the rate-limiter rejection
 	// summary: the Warn log per throttled key and the report to the backend.
 	throttleReportInterval = 30 * time.Second
+	// banSyncInterval is the cadence of the active-ban sync to the backend (which
+	// feeds the admin-console view) and the operator-unban pull.
+	banSyncInterval = 30 * time.Second
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -98,19 +122,59 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	sessions := session.NewCache(backend, cfg.SessionTTL, cfg.SessionCacheMax)
 	limiter := ratelimit.New()
 	tracker := ratelimit.NewTracker()
+	banlist := ratelimit.NewBanlist(ratelimit.BanConfig{
+		Enabled:   cfg.Abuse.BanEnabled,
+		Threshold: cfg.Abuse.BanThreshold,
+		Window:    cfg.Abuse.BanWindow,
+		Duration:  cfg.Abuse.BanDuration,
+	})
 	hub := push.NewHub(0)
 
-	var conn *connector.Client
 	var validator transcode.TelegramValidator
-	if cfg.ConnectorAddr != "" {
+	if cfg.ValidatorAddr != "" {
-		conn, err = connector.New(cfg.ConnectorAddr)
+		conn, cerr := connector.New(cfg.ValidatorAddr)
-		if err != nil {
+		if cerr != nil {
-			return err
+			return cerr
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = conn.Close() }()
 		validator = conn
 	} else {
-		logger.Warn("telegram disabled (GATEWAY_CONNECTOR_ADDR unset)")
+		logger.Warn("telegram auth disabled (GATEWAY_VALIDATOR_ADDR unset)")
+	}
+
+	// The reverse bot-link: the remote Telegram bot dials this gateway over mTLS and
+	// the gateway pushes send commands down the stream. Out-of-app push is
+	// fire-and-forget; the backend admin relay (plaintext, internal) awaits the Ack.
+	var botHub *botlink.Hub
+	if cfg.BotLinkEnabled() {
+		botHub = botlink.NewHub(logger, tel.MeterProvider().Meter("scrabble/gateway/botlink"),
+			func(ctx context.Context, externalID string) (bool, bool, error) {
+				r, rerr := backend.ChatEligibility(ctx, externalID)
+				return r.Registered, r.Eligible, rerr
+			})
+		tlsCfg, terr := mtls.ServerConfig(cfg.BotLink.CertFile, cfg.BotLink.KeyFile, cfg.BotLink.CAFile)
+		if terr != nil {
+			return terr
+		}
+		botSrv := grpc.NewServer(
+			grpc.Creds(credentials.NewTLS(tlsCfg)),
+			grpc.StatsHandler(otelgrpc.NewServerHandler()),
+			grpc.KeepaliveParams(keepalive.ServerParameters{Time: botLinkKeepaliveTime, Timeout: botLinkKeepaliveTimeout}),
+			grpc.KeepaliveEnforcementPolicy(keepalive.EnforcementPolicy{MinTime: botLinkMinPingInterval, PermitWithoutStream: true}),
+		)
+		botlinkv1.RegisterBotLinkServer(botSrv, botHub)
+		if serr := serveGRPC(ctx, "botlink", cfg.BotLink.Addr, botSrv, logger); serr != nil {
+			return serr
+		}
+		if cfg.BotLink.RelayAddr != "" {
+			relaySrv := grpc.NewServer(grpc.StatsHandler(otelgrpc.NewServerHandler()))
+			telegramv1.RegisterTelegramServer(relaySrv, botlink.NewRelayServer(botHub, cfg.BotLink.SendTimeout))
+			if serr := serveGRPC(ctx, "botlink-relay", cfg.BotLink.RelayAddr, relaySrv, logger); serr != nil {
+				return serr
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		logger.Warn("telegram bot channel disabled (GATEWAY_BOTLINK_ADDR unset)")
 	}
 
 	// The admin console (backend /_gm) is fronted on the public listener behind
@@ -132,6 +196,8 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 		Sessions:     sessions,
 		Limiter:      limiter,
 		Tracker:      tracker,
+		Banlist:      banlist,
+		Honeytoken:   cfg.Abuse.Honeytoken,
 		Hub:          hub,
 		RateLimit:    cfg.RateLimit,
 		Heartbeat:    cfg.PushHeartbeatInterval,
@@ -142,10 +208,15 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	})
 
 	// Bridge the backend push stream into the fan-out hub (and the out-of-app
-	// channel via the connector).
+	// channel via the bot-link).
-	go runPushPump(ctx, backend, hub, conn, logger)
+	go runPushPump(ctx, backend, hub, botHub, logger)
 	// Periodically summarise rate-limiter rejections (Warn log + backend report).
 	go runThrottleReporter(ctx, tracker, backend, logger)
+	// When the IP ban is enabled (prod), sync the active set to the backend (the
+	// admin-console view) and apply the operator unbans it returns.
+	if cfg.Abuse.BanEnabled {
+		go runBanSync(ctx, banlist, backend, logger)
+	}
 
 	public := &http.Server{Addr: cfg.HTTPAddr, Handler: edge.HTTPHandler(), ReadHeaderTimeout: readHeaderTimeout}
 	servers := []*namedServer{{name: "public", srv: public}}
@@ -195,6 +266,27 @@ func runServers(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, servers []*named
 	return first
 }
 
+// serveGRPC starts a gRPC server on addr in the background and gracefully stops it
+// when ctx is cancelled. It returns synchronously on a bind error so a
+// misconfigured listener fails startup fast; a later Serve error is logged.
+func serveGRPC(ctx context.Context, name, addr string, srv *grpc.Server, logger *zap.Logger) error {
+	lis, err := net.Listen("tcp", addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("gateway: listen %s (%s): %w", addr, name, err)
+	}
+	go func() {
+		<-ctx.Done()
+		srv.GracefulStop()
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		logger.Info("listener starting", zap.String("server", name), zap.String("addr", addr))
+		if err := srv.Serve(lis); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, grpc.ErrServerStopped) {
+			logger.Error("grpc listener failed", zap.String("server", name), zap.Error(err))
+		}
+	}()
+	return nil
+}
+
 // runThrottleReporter drains the rate-limiter rejection tracker on a fixed
 // cadence, emits one Warn summary per throttled key and forwards the report to
 // the backend (which feeds the admin throttled view and the high-rate
@@ -226,11 +318,36 @@ func runThrottleReporter(ctx context.Context, tracker *ratelimit.Tracker, backen
 	}
 }
 
+// runBanSync periodically reports the gateway's active IP bans to the backend (the
+// admin-console view) and applies the operator unbans it returns, until the
+// context is done. A failed sync is logged and dropped — the next tick reports
+// fresh state, and a missed unban is retried on it.
+func runBanSync(ctx context.Context, banlist *ratelimit.Banlist, backend *backendclient.Client, logger *zap.Logger) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(banSyncInterval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+		}
+		unban, err := backend.SyncBans(ctx, banlist.Active())
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Warn("ban sync failed", zap.Error(err))
+			continue
+		}
+		for _, ip := range unban {
+			banlist.Unban(ip)
+			logger.Info("ban cleared by operator", zap.String("client_ip", ip))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // runPushPump keeps a backend push subscription open, forwarding every event to
 // the hub and re-subscribing after the stream ends, until the context is done. For
 // the out-of-app push kinds it also routes events whose recipient has no live
 // in-app stream to the platform connector (a nil connector disables that channel).
-func runPushPump(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, hub *push.Hub, conn *connector.Client, logger *zap.Logger) {
+func runPushPump(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, hub *push.Hub, bot *botlink.Hub, logger *zap.Logger) {
 	for ctx.Err() == nil {
 		stream, err := backend.SubscribePush(ctx, gatewayID)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -248,6 +365,15 @@ func runPushPump(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, hub *push.H
 				}
 				break
 			}
+			// A chat-access-changed event is an infra signal, not an in-app event:
+			// resolve the recipient's Telegram identity and current eligibility and
+			// push the chat-gate command to the bot, without fanning it out to clients.
+			if ev.GetKind() == chatAccessChangedKind {
+				if bot != nil {
+					go deliverChatGate(ctx, backend, bot, ev.GetUserId(), logger)
+				}
+				continue
+			}
 			hub.Publish(push.Event{
 				UserID:  ev.GetUserId(),
 				Kind:    ev.GetKind(),
@@ -255,10 +381,10 @@ func runPushPump(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, hub *push.H
 				EventID: ev.GetEventId(),
 			})
 			// Out-of-app fallback: when the recipient has no live in-app stream,
-			// deliver the event over the platform push channel. Done in a goroutine
+			// deliver the event over the bot-link. Done in a goroutine so a slow
-			// so a slow connector never stalls the in-app firehose.
+			// target lookup never stalls the in-app firehose.
-			if conn != nil && connector.OutOfAppKind(ev.GetKind()) && !hub.HasSubscribers(ev.GetUserId()) {
+			if bot != nil && connector.OutOfAppKind(ev.GetKind()) && !hub.HasSubscribers(ev.GetUserId()) {
-				go deliverOutOfApp(ctx, backend, conn, ev.GetUserId(), ev.GetKind(), ev.GetPayload(), logger)
+				go deliverOutOfApp(ctx, backend, bot, ev.GetUserId(), ev.GetKind(), ev.GetPayload(), logger)
 			}
 		}
 		if !sleep(ctx, pushReconnectDelay) {
@@ -271,7 +397,7 @@ func runPushPump(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, hub *push.H
 // Telegram identity and have not confined notifications to the app, asks the
 // connector to deliver the event. It is best-effort: every failure is logged and
 // dropped (the in-app stream remains the primary channel).
-func deliverOutOfApp(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, conn *connector.Client, userID, kind string, payload []byte, logger *zap.Logger) {
+func deliverOutOfApp(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, bot *botlink.Hub, userID, kind string, payload []byte, logger *zap.Logger) {
 	target, err := backend.PushTarget(ctx, userID)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Warn("push target lookup failed", zap.String("user_id", userID), zap.Error(err))
@@ -280,10 +406,30 @@ func deliverOutOfApp(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, conn *c
 	if !connector.DeliverToTarget(target.ExternalID, target.NotificationsInAppOnly) {
 		return
 	}
-	// The single bot renders the message in the recipient's interface language.
+	// Fire-and-forget down the bot-link; the bot renders the message in the
-	if _, err := conn.Notify(ctx, target.ExternalID, kind, payload, target.Language); err != nil {
+	// recipient's interface language and is dropped (best-effort) if no bot is up.
-		logger.Warn("out-of-app notify failed", zap.String("kind", kind), zap.Error(err))
+	bot.Send(botlink.NotifyCommand(target.ExternalID, kind, payload, target.Language))
+}
+
+// chatAccessChangedKind is the backend event signalling that a player's moderated-chat
+// write eligibility may have changed; the gateway turns it into a bot-link chat-gate
+// command rather than an in-app event (it mirrors notify.KindChatAccessChanged).
+const chatAccessChangedKind = "chat_access_changed"
+
+// deliverChatGate resolves a chat-access-changed event to the recipient's Telegram
+// identity and current eligibility and pushes the chat-gate command to the bot. It is
+// best-effort: a recipient with no Telegram identity is skipped, and a resolve failure
+// is logged and dropped (the next moderation action, or a re-join, re-applies the gate).
+func deliverChatGate(ctx context.Context, backend *backendclient.Client, bot *botlink.Hub, userID string, logger *zap.Logger) {
+	res, err := backend.ChatAccessByUser(ctx, userID)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Warn("chat-gate resolve failed", zap.String("user_id", userID), zap.Error(err))
+		return
 	}
+	if res.ExternalID == "" {
+		return // no Telegram identity, nothing to gate
+	}
+	bot.Send(botlink.ChatGateCommand(res.ExternalID, res.Eligible))
 }
 
 // sleep waits for d or until ctx is cancelled, reporting whether it waited the

gateway/internal/backendclient/api.go

@@ -184,8 +184,10 @@ type ChatResp struct {
 }
 
 // TelegramAuth provisions/finds the Telegram account and mints a session, seeding a
-// brand-new account's display name and language from the validated launch fields.
+// brand-new account's display name and language from the validated launch fields and
-func (c *Client) TelegramAuth(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, username, firstName string) (SessionResp, error) {
+// its time zone from browserTz (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset; first
+// contact only).
+func (c *Client) TelegramAuth(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, username, firstName, browserTz string) (SessionResp, error) {
 	var out SessionResp
 	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/telegram", "", "",
 		map[string]string{
@@ -193,6 +195,7 @@ func (c *Client) TelegramAuth(ctx context.Context, externalID, languageCode, use
 			"language_code": languageCode,
 			"username":      username,
 			"first_name":    firstName,
+			"browser_tz":    browserTz,
 		}, &out)
 	return out, err
 }
@@ -215,17 +218,49 @@ func (c *Client) PushTarget(ctx context.Context, userID string) (PushTargetResp,
 	return out, err
 }
 
-// GuestAuth provisions a guest account and mints a session.
+// ChatAccessResp is a user's moderated-chat write eligibility: ExternalID is their
-func (c *Client) GuestAuth(ctx context.Context) (SessionResp, error) {
+// Telegram identity (empty when they have none, so the gateway has nothing to gate),
-	var out SessionResp
+// Registered whether an account was found, and Eligible the final gate the bot applies
-	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/guest", "", "", struct{}{}, &out)
+// (registered and neither admin-suspended nor chat-muted).
+type ChatAccessResp struct {
+	ExternalID string `json:"external_id"`
+	Registered bool   `json:"registered"`
+	Eligible   bool   `json:"eligible"`
+}
+
+// ChatEligibility resolves a Telegram identity to its moderated-chat write
+// eligibility — the join path, when the bot sees a user enter the chat.
+func (c *Client) ChatEligibility(ctx context.Context, externalID string) (ChatAccessResp, error) {
+	var out ChatAccessResp
+	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/chat-access", "", "",
+		map[string]string{"external_id": externalID}, &out)
 	return out, err
 }
 
-// EmailRequest asks the backend to mail a login code.
+// ChatAccessByUser resolves an account id to its Telegram identity and current
-func (c *Client) EmailRequest(ctx context.Context, email string) error {
+// moderated-chat write eligibility — the change path, for a chat-access-changed event.
+func (c *Client) ChatAccessByUser(ctx context.Context, userID string) (ChatAccessResp, error) {
+	var out ChatAccessResp
+	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/chat-access", "", "",
+		map[string]string{"user_id": userID}, &out)
+	return out, err
+}
+
+// GuestAuth provisions a guest account and mints a session, seeding its time zone
+// from browserTz (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset).
+func (c *Client) GuestAuth(ctx context.Context, browserTz string) (SessionResp, error) {
+	var out SessionResp
+	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/guest", "", "",
+		map[string]string{"browser_tz": browserTz}, &out)
+	return out, err
+}
+
+// EmailRequest asks the backend to mail a login code, provisioning the account on
+// first contact; browserTz (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) seeds the new
+// account's time zone, since the email account is created here, not at login.
+func (c *Client) EmailRequest(ctx context.Context, email, browserTz string) error {
 	return c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/email/request", "", "",
-		map[string]string{"email": email}, nil)
+		map[string]string{"email": email, "browser_tz": browserTz}, nil)
 }
 
 // EmailLogin verifies a login code and mints a session.

gateway/internal/backendclient/api_feedback.go

@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ type FeedbackUnreadResp struct {
 
 // FeedbackSubmit posts a feedback message. The attachment bytes are base64-encoded
 // into the JSON body for the internal hop; clientIP rides X-Forwarded-For.
-func (c *Client) FeedbackSubmit(ctx context.Context, userID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, clientIP string) error {
+func (c *Client) FeedbackSubmit(ctx context.Context, userID, body string, attachment []byte, attachmentName, channel, version, browserTz, clientIP string) error {
 	payload := map[string]string{
 		"body":            body,
 		"attachment":      "",
 		"attachment_name": attachmentName,
 		"channel":         channel,
+		"version":         version,
+		"browser_tz":      browserTz,
 	}
 	if len(attachment) > 0 {
 		payload["attachment"] = base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(attachment)

gateway/internal/backendclient/client.go

@@ -22,6 +22,19 @@ import (
 	pushv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/push/v1"
 )
 
+// backendMaxIdleConns sizes the REST keep-alive pool to the single backend host. The
+// default transport caps idle connections per host at 2 (http.DefaultMaxIdleConnsPerHost),
+// which — since every synchronous client call proxies to that one host — forces a fresh
+// TCP connection (and a lingering TIME_WAIT socket) for almost every request under load.
+// That connection churn burns gateway CPU and exhausts ephemeral ports at scale, all
+// while the backend itself sits near-idle. Pooling the connections lets them be reused.
+//
+// The stress harness measured the effect at 500 concurrent players: the churn collapsed
+// from ~26 500 TIME_WAIT sockets to ~0 and peak gateway CPU from ~1.75 to ~0.26 cores,
+// with the pool settling at ~225 live connections. 512 keeps ~2x headroom over that
+// observed peak so a burst never re-caps the pool. See loadtest/REPORT.md.
+const backendMaxIdleConns = 512
+
 // Client calls the backend's REST API and opens its push gRPC stream.
 type Client struct {
 	baseURL string
@@ -41,9 +54,14 @@ func New(httpURL, grpcAddr string, timeout time.Duration) (*Client, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("backendclient: dial push %s: %w", grpcAddr, err)
 	}
+	// Clone the default transport (keeping its proxy, dialer and timeouts) and widen the
+	// idle pool so REST calls to the backend reuse connections instead of churning them.
+	transport := http.DefaultTransport.(*http.Transport).Clone()
+	transport.MaxIdleConns = backendMaxIdleConns
+	transport.MaxIdleConnsPerHost = backendMaxIdleConns
 	return &Client{
 		baseURL: strings.TrimRight(httpURL, "/"),
-		http:    &http.Client{Timeout: timeout},
+		http:    &http.Client{Timeout: timeout, Transport: transport},
 		conn:    conn,
 		push:    pushv1.NewPushClient(conn),
 	}, nil
@@ -137,3 +155,22 @@ func (c *Client) ReportRateLimited(ctx context.Context, windowSeconds int, entri
 	}{WindowSeconds: windowSeconds, Entries: entries}
 	return c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/ratelimit/report", "", "", body, nil)
 }
+
+// SyncBans reports the gateway's currently-active IP bans to the backend and
+// returns the IPs an operator has marked for unban since the previous sync. It is
+// the ban mirror of ReportRateLimited plus the manual-unban backchannel: the
+// backend renders the active set in the admin console and drains the operator's
+// unban requests into the response. Like the rejection report it carries no user
+// identity and rides the trusted internal segment.
+func (c *Client) SyncBans(ctx context.Context, active []ratelimit.Ban) ([]string, error) {
+	body := struct {
+		Active []ratelimit.Ban `json:"active"`
+	}{Active: active}
+	var out struct {
+		Unban []string `json:"unban"`
+	}
+	if err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/bans/sync", "", "", body, &out); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return out.Unban, nil
+}

gateway/internal/backendclient/client_internal_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package backendclient
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// TestBackendTransportPoolsConnections guards the fix for the gateway->backend
+// connection churn. Every synchronous client call proxies to the single backend host,
+// so the REST client must widen the idle-connection pool past the default per-host cap
+// of 2 (http.DefaultMaxIdleConnsPerHost) — otherwise almost every request under load
+// opens a fresh TCP connection that then lingers in TIME_WAIT, burning gateway CPU and
+// exhausting ephemeral ports. Reverting to the default transport (`&http.Client{...}`
+// with no Transport) would silently reintroduce that, so assert the pool is widened.
+func TestBackendTransportPoolsConnections(t *testing.T) {
+	c, err := New("http://backend.invalid", "localhost:9090", time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("New: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = c.Close() }()
+
+	tr, ok := c.http.Transport.(*http.Transport)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("REST transport = %T, want a *http.Transport with a widened idle pool", c.http.Transport)
+	}
+	if tr.MaxIdleConnsPerHost <= http.DefaultMaxIdleConnsPerHost {
+		t.Errorf("MaxIdleConnsPerHost = %d, want > default %d (else per-call connection churn)",
+			tr.MaxIdleConnsPerHost, http.DefaultMaxIdleConnsPerHost)
+	}
+}

gateway/internal/backendclient/client_test.go

@@ -46,3 +46,39 @@ func TestReportRateLimited(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("backend received %+v, want window 30 + %+v", got, entries[0])
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSyncBans verifies the gateway reports its active bans to the backend's
+// internal endpoint and returns the operator unban list the backend replies with.
+func TestSyncBans(t *testing.T) {
+	var got struct {
+		Active []ratelimit.Ban `json:"active"`
+	}
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method != http.MethodPost || r.URL.Path != "/api/v1/internal/bans/sync" {
+			t.Errorf("call = %s %s, want POST /api/v1/internal/bans/sync", r.Method, r.URL.Path)
+		}
+		if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&got); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("decode sync: %v", err)
+		}
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"unban":["203.0.113.9"]}`))
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	c, err := backendclient.New(srv.URL, "localhost:9090", 2*time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("backendclient: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = c.Close() }()
+
+	active := []ratelimit.Ban{{IP: "198.51.100.4", Reason: ratelimit.ReasonTripwire}}
+	unban, err := c.SyncBans(context.Background(), active)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SyncBans: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(got.Active) != 1 || got.Active[0].IP != "198.51.100.4" || got.Active[0].Reason != ratelimit.ReasonTripwire {
+		t.Fatalf("backend received active = %+v, want one tripwire ban for 198.51.100.4", got.Active)
+	}
+	if len(unban) != 1 || unban[0] != "203.0.113.9" {
+		t.Fatalf("unban = %v, want [203.0.113.9]", unban)
+	}
+}

gateway/internal/botlink/command.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package botlink
+
+import (
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+	telegramv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/telegram/v1"
+)
+
+// NotifyCommand builds an out-of-app push command rendered by the bot in the
+// recipient's interface language.
+func NotifyCommand(externalID, kind string, payload []byte, language string) *botlinkv1.Command {
+	return &botlinkv1.Command{
+		Payload: &botlinkv1.Command_Notify{Notify: &telegramv1.NotifyRequest{
+			ExternalId: externalID,
+			Kind:       kind,
+			Payload:    payload,
+			Language:   language,
+		}},
+	}
+}
+
+// SendToUserCommand builds an admin text message addressed to one user.
+func SendToUserCommand(externalID, text string) *botlinkv1.Command {
+	return &botlinkv1.Command{
+		Payload: &botlinkv1.Command_SendToUser{SendToUser: &telegramv1.SendToUserRequest{
+			ExternalId: externalID,
+			Text:       text,
+		}},
+	}
+}
+
+// SendToGameChannelCommand builds an admin text message for the bot's game channel.
+func SendToGameChannelCommand(text string) *botlinkv1.Command {
+	return &botlinkv1.Command{
+		Payload: &botlinkv1.Command_SendToChannel{SendToChannel: &telegramv1.SendToGameChannelRequest{
+			Text: text,
+		}},
+	}
+}
+
+// ChatGateCommand builds a chat-gate command that sets whether the Telegram user
+// identified by externalID may write in the moderated discussion chat. The bot
+// applies it only to a member currently in the chat (guarded on getChatMember).
+func ChatGateCommand(externalID string, allow bool) *botlinkv1.Command {
+	return &botlinkv1.Command{
+		Payload: &botlinkv1.Command_ChatGate{ChatGate: &botlinkv1.ChatGateCommand{
+			ExternalId: externalID,
+			Allow:      allow,
+		}},
+	}
+}

gateway/internal/botlink/hub.go

@@ -0,0 +1,286 @@
+// Package botlink is the gateway side of the reverse Telegram bot channel: a remote
+// bot dials the gateway and opens one long-lived mTLS gRPC stream
+// (pkg/proto/botlink/v1), over which the gateway pushes send Commands and the bot
+// returns an Ack per command. The Hub registers connected bots and routes commands:
+// out-of-app push is fire-and-forget (Send), admin sends await the bot Ack
+// (SendAwait). Delivery is best-effort, at-most-once — a command lost across a
+// reconnect is not replayed. See docs/ARCHITECTURE.md.
+package botlink
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"strconv"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+)
+
+// ErrNoBot is returned by SendAwait when no bot is currently connected.
+var ErrNoBot = errors.New("botlink: no bot connected")
+
+// outboundBuffer is the per-link command queue depth; a full queue drops commands
+// (at-most-once under backpressure).
+const outboundBuffer = 64
+
+// EligibilityResolver answers a Telegram identity's moderated-chat write eligibility
+// for the bot's join-time ResolveChatEligibility query: registered reports whether the
+// identity maps to an account, eligible is the final gate the bot acts on (registered
+// and neither admin-suspended nor chat-muted). The gateway backs it with the backend
+// chat-access endpoint.
+type EligibilityResolver func(ctx context.Context, externalID string) (registered, eligible bool, err error)
+
+// Hub registers connected bots and routes send commands to them. A single bot is
+// expected today; the registry already holds a set so adding more later needs no
+// rewrite.
+type Hub struct {
+	botlinkv1.UnimplementedBotLinkServer
+
+	log         *zap.Logger
+	eligibility EligibilityResolver
+
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	links   map[*link]struct{}
+	pending map[string]chan *botlinkv1.Ack
+
+	seq atomic.Uint64
+
+	connected metric.Int64UpDownCounter
+	commands  metric.Int64Counter
+}
+
+// link is one connected bot's outbound queue and identity.
+type link struct {
+	instanceID  string
+	ownsUpdates bool
+	out         chan *botlinkv1.ToBot
+}
+
+// NewHub builds a Hub. resolve answers the bot's join-time chat-eligibility query
+// (nil rejects it as unavailable). A nil meter disables metrics; a nil logger is
+// tolerated.
+func NewHub(log *zap.Logger, meter metric.Meter, resolve EligibilityResolver) *Hub {
+	if log == nil {
+		log = zap.NewNop()
+	}
+	h := &Hub{
+		log:         log,
+		eligibility: resolve,
+		links:       make(map[*link]struct{}),
+		pending:     make(map[string]chan *botlinkv1.Ack),
+	}
+	if meter != nil {
+		h.connected, _ = meter.Int64UpDownCounter("botlink_connected_bots",
+			metric.WithDescription("Number of Telegram bots currently connected to the gateway bot-link."))
+		h.commands, _ = meter.Int64Counter("botlink_commands_total",
+			metric.WithDescription("Bot-link send commands by result (delivered, not_delivered, dropped, error)."))
+	}
+	return h
+}
+
+// Link implements botlinkv1.BotLinkServer: it registers the dialing bot, drains
+// queued commands to it, and resolves Acks until the stream ends.
+func (h *Hub) Link(stream grpc.BidiStreamingServer[botlinkv1.FromBot, botlinkv1.ToBot]) error {
+	first, err := stream.Recv()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	hello := first.GetHello()
+	if hello == nil {
+		return status.Error(codes.InvalidArgument, "first bot-link message must be Hello")
+	}
+	l := &link{
+		instanceID:  hello.GetInstanceId(),
+		ownsUpdates: hello.GetOwnsUpdates(),
+		out:         make(chan *botlinkv1.ToBot, outboundBuffer),
+	}
+	h.register(l)
+	defer h.unregister(l)
+
+	ctx := stream.Context()
+	// A dedicated goroutine owns stream.Send; the Recv loop below owns stream.Recv.
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case msg := <-l.out:
+				if err := stream.Send(msg); err != nil {
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	for {
+		msg, err := stream.Recv()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if ack := msg.GetAck(); ack != nil {
+			h.resolve(ack)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ResolveChatEligibility serves the bot's join-time query: whether the Telegram user
+// identified in the request may write in the moderated discussion chat. It delegates
+// to the configured resolver (the backend chat-access endpoint), unlike the streamed
+// Commands it is a plain request/response over the same mTLS channel.
+func (h *Hub) ResolveChatEligibility(ctx context.Context, req *botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityRequest) (*botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityResponse, error) {
+	if h.eligibility == nil {
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.Unavailable, "chat eligibility resolver not configured")
+	}
+	registered, eligible, err := h.eligibility(ctx, req.GetExternalId())
+	if err != nil {
+		h.log.Warn("resolve chat eligibility failed", zap.String("external_id", req.GetExternalId()), zap.Error(err))
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.Internal, "resolve chat eligibility")
+	}
+	return &botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityResponse{Registered: registered, Eligible: eligible}, nil
+}
+
+// register adds a connected bot.
+func (h *Hub) register(l *link) {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	h.links[l] = struct{}{}
+	n := len(h.links)
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	if h.connected != nil {
+		h.connected.Add(context.Background(), 1)
+	}
+	h.log.Info("bot connected",
+		zap.String("instance_id", l.instanceID),
+		zap.Bool("owns_updates", l.ownsUpdates),
+		zap.Int("connected", n))
+}
+
+// unregister removes a bot. l.out is left for the GC; its sender goroutine has
+// already exited via the stream context, and stale enqueues simply never send
+// (at-most-once).
+func (h *Hub) unregister(l *link) {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	delete(h.links, l)
+	n := len(h.links)
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	if h.connected != nil {
+		h.connected.Add(context.Background(), -1)
+	}
+	h.log.Info("bot disconnected", zap.String("instance_id", l.instanceID), zap.Int("connected", n))
+}
+
+// pick returns one connected bot.
+func (h *Hub) pick() (*link, bool) {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+	for l := range h.links {
+		return l, true
+	}
+	return nil, false
+}
+
+// Send enqueues a fire-and-forget command to a connected bot, dropping it (with a
+// warning) when no bot is connected or the queue is full.
+func (h *Hub) Send(cmd *botlinkv1.Command) {
+	l, ok := h.pick()
+	if !ok {
+		h.count("dropped")
+		h.log.Warn("bot-link send dropped: no bot connected")
+		return
+	}
+	cmd.CommandId = h.nextID()
+	select {
+	case l.out <- &botlinkv1.ToBot{Command: cmd}:
+	default:
+		h.count("dropped")
+		h.log.Warn("bot-link send dropped: outbound queue full", zap.String("instance_id", l.instanceID))
+	}
+}
+
+// SendAwait enqueues a command and waits for the bot's Ack or until ctx is done.
+// It returns ErrNoBot when no bot is connected, the delivered flag on a clean Ack,
+// or (false, nil) when ctx (the deadline) fires before an Ack arrives.
+func (h *Hub) SendAwait(ctx context.Context, cmd *botlinkv1.Command) (bool, error) {
+	l, ok := h.pick()
+	if !ok {
+		h.count("dropped")
+		return false, ErrNoBot
+	}
+	id := h.nextID()
+	cmd.CommandId = id
+	ackc := make(chan *botlinkv1.Ack, 1)
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	h.pending[id] = ackc
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	defer func() {
+		h.mu.Lock()
+		delete(h.pending, id)
+		h.mu.Unlock()
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case l.out <- &botlinkv1.ToBot{Command: cmd}:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		h.count("dropped")
+		return false, ctx.Err()
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case ack := <-ackc:
+		if e := ack.GetError(); e != "" {
+			h.count("error")
+			return false, errors.New(e)
+		}
+		h.count(deliveredLabel(ack.GetDelivered()))
+		return ack.GetDelivered(), nil
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		h.count("error")
+		return false, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// resolve routes an Ack to its waiting SendAwait, if any.
+func (h *Hub) resolve(ack *botlinkv1.Ack) {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	c, ok := h.pending[ack.GetCommandId()]
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	if ok {
+		select {
+		case c <- ack:
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// nextID returns a process-unique command id.
+func (h *Hub) nextID() string {
+	return strconv.FormatUint(h.seq.Add(1), 10)
+}
+
+// count records one command result, when metrics are enabled.
+func (h *Hub) count(result string) {
+	if h.commands == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	h.commands.Add(context.Background(), 1, metric.WithAttributes(resultAttr(result)))
+}
+
+// deliveredLabel maps the delivered flag to a metric result label.
+func deliveredLabel(delivered bool) string {
+	if delivered {
+		return "delivered"
+	}
+	return "not_delivered"
+}
+
+// resultAttr is the metric attribute carrying a command result label.
+func resultAttr(result string) attribute.KeyValue {
+	return attribute.String("result", result)
+}

gateway/internal/botlink/hub_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+package botlink
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/test/bufconn"
+
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+	telegramv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/telegram/v1"
+)
+
+// fakeBot is a test bot that dials the hub, registers, and acks commands with a
+// fixed delivered flag (or never, when ack is false).
+type fakeBot struct {
+	delivered bool
+	ack       bool
+	received  chan *botlinkv1.Command
+}
+
+// startHub registers a Hub (no chat-eligibility resolver) on an in-memory gRPC
+// server and returns the hub plus a dialer for fake bots.
+func startHub(t *testing.T) (*Hub, func(t *testing.T) botlinkv1.BotLinkClient) {
+	return startHubWith(t, nil)
+}
+
+// startHubWith is startHub with an explicit chat-eligibility resolver, for the
+// ResolveChatEligibility tests.
+func startHubWith(t *testing.T, resolve EligibilityResolver) (*Hub, func(t *testing.T) botlinkv1.BotLinkClient) {
+	t.Helper()
+	lis := bufconn.Listen(1 << 20)
+	hub := NewHub(nil, nil, resolve)
+	srv := grpc.NewServer()
+	botlinkv1.RegisterBotLinkServer(srv, hub)
+	go func() { _ = srv.Serve(lis) }()
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Stop)
+
+	dial := func(t *testing.T) botlinkv1.BotLinkClient {
+		t.Helper()
+		conn, err := grpc.NewClient("passthrough:///bufnet",
+			grpc.WithContextDialer(func(context.Context, string) (net.Conn, error) { return lis.Dial() }),
+			grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("dial: %v", err)
+		}
+		t.Cleanup(func() { _ = conn.Close() })
+		return botlinkv1.NewBotLinkClient(conn)
+	}
+	return hub, dial
+}
+
+// connect runs a fake bot against client until ctx is cancelled, returning once the
+// hub has registered it.
+func (f *fakeBot) connect(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, hub *Hub, client botlinkv1.BotLinkClient) {
+	t.Helper()
+	f.received = make(chan *botlinkv1.Command, 8)
+	stream, err := client.Link(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("link: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := stream.Send(&botlinkv1.FromBot{Msg: &botlinkv1.FromBot_Hello{Hello: &botlinkv1.Hello{InstanceId: "test"}}}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("hello: %v", err)
+	}
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			msg, err := stream.Recv()
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			cmd := msg.GetCommand()
+			f.received <- cmd
+			if !f.ack {
+				continue
+			}
+			_ = stream.Send(&botlinkv1.FromBot{Msg: &botlinkv1.FromBot_Ack{Ack: &botlinkv1.Ack{
+				CommandId: cmd.GetCommandId(),
+				Delivered: f.delivered,
+			}}})
+		}
+	}()
+	waitConnected(t, hub, 1)
+}
+
+// waitConnected blocks until the hub reports n connected bots.
+func waitConnected(t *testing.T, hub *Hub, n int) {
+	t.Helper()
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		hub.mu.Lock()
+		got := len(hub.links)
+		hub.mu.Unlock()
+		if got == n {
+			return
+		}
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("hub did not reach %d connected bots", n)
+}
+
+func TestHubSendAwaitDelivered(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, dial := startHub(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	bot := &fakeBot{delivered: true, ack: true}
+	bot.connect(t, ctx, hub, dial(t))
+
+	delivered, err := hub.SendAwait(ctx, SendToUserCommand("42", "hi"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SendAwait: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !delivered {
+		t.Fatal("delivered = false, want true")
+	}
+	select {
+	case cmd := <-bot.received:
+		if cmd.GetSendToUser().GetExternalId() != "42" {
+			t.Errorf("received external_id = %q, want 42", cmd.GetSendToUser().GetExternalId())
+		}
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("bot received no command")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubSendAwaitNoBot(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, _ := startHub(t)
+	_, err := hub.SendAwait(context.Background(), SendToUserCommand("42", "hi"))
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrNoBot) {
+		t.Errorf("err = %v, want ErrNoBot", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubSendAwaitDeadline(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, dial := startHub(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	bot := &fakeBot{ack: false} // receives but never acks
+	bot.connect(t, ctx, hub, dial(t))
+
+	awaitCtx, awaitCancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	defer awaitCancel()
+	delivered, err := hub.SendAwait(awaitCtx, SendToUserCommand("42", "hi"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SendAwait err = %v, want nil on deadline", err)
+	}
+	if delivered {
+		t.Error("delivered = true, want false on deadline")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubSendAsync(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, dial := startHub(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	bot := &fakeBot{ack: false}
+	bot.connect(t, ctx, hub, dial(t))
+
+	hub.Send(NotifyCommand("42", "your_turn", nil, "en"))
+	select {
+	case cmd := <-bot.received:
+		if cmd.GetNotify().GetExternalId() != "42" {
+			t.Errorf("received external_id = %q, want 42", cmd.GetNotify().GetExternalId())
+		}
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("bot received no command")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubSendChatGate(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, dial := startHub(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	bot := &fakeBot{ack: false}
+	bot.connect(t, ctx, hub, dial(t))
+
+	hub.Send(ChatGateCommand("42", true))
+	select {
+	case cmd := <-bot.received:
+		cg := cmd.GetChatGate()
+		if cg.GetExternalId() != "42" || !cg.GetAllow() {
+			t.Errorf("chat_gate = %+v, want external_id=42 allow=true", cg)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("bot received no command")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubResolveChatEligibility(t *testing.T) {
+	var gotExt string
+	_, dial := startHubWith(t, func(_ context.Context, ext string) (bool, bool, error) {
+		gotExt = ext
+		return true, ext == "good", nil
+	})
+	client := dial(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+
+	resp, err := client.ResolveChatEligibility(ctx, &botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityRequest{ExternalId: "good"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolveChatEligibility: %v", err)
+	}
+	if gotExt != "good" {
+		t.Errorf("resolver external_id = %q, want good", gotExt)
+	}
+	if !resp.GetRegistered() || !resp.GetEligible() {
+		t.Errorf("resp = %+v, want registered+eligible", resp)
+	}
+
+	resp, err = client.ResolveChatEligibility(ctx, &botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityRequest{ExternalId: "muted"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolveChatEligibility(muted): %v", err)
+	}
+	if !resp.GetRegistered() || resp.GetEligible() {
+		t.Errorf("resp = %+v, want registered but not eligible", resp)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHubResolveChatEligibilityUnconfigured(t *testing.T) {
+	_, dial := startHub(t) // nil resolver
+	client := dial(t)
+	_, err := client.ResolveChatEligibility(t.Context(), &botlinkv1.ChatEligibilityRequest{ExternalId: "x"})
+	if status.Code(err) != codes.Unavailable {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want Unavailable", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRelayServerNoBot(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, _ := startHub(t)
+	relay := NewRelayServer(hub, 200*time.Millisecond)
+	if _, err := relay.SendToUser(context.Background(), &telegramv1.SendToUserRequest{ExternalId: "42", Text: "hi"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error with no bot connected")
+	}
+}

gateway/internal/botlink/mtls_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+package botlink
+
+import (
+	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"crypto/elliptic"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"crypto/x509/pkix"
+	"encoding/pem"
+	"math/big"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
+
+	"scrabble/pkg/mtls"
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+)
+
+// mintCerts writes a CA, a server leaf (IP SAN 127.0.0.1) and a client leaf into a
+// temp dir, returning their file paths. It exercises the real pkg/mtls loaders.
+func mintCerts(t *testing.T) (caFile, srvCert, srvKey, cliCert, cliKey string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	caKey, _ := ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P256(), rand.Reader)
+	caTmpl := &x509.Certificate{
+		SerialNumber:          big.NewInt(1),
+		Subject:               pkix.Name{CommonName: "test-ca"},
+		NotBefore:             time.Now().Add(-time.Hour),
+		NotAfter:              time.Now().Add(time.Hour),
+		IsCA:                  true,
+		KeyUsage:              x509.KeyUsageCertSign,
+		BasicConstraintsValid: true,
+	}
+	caDER, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, caTmpl, caTmpl, &caKey.PublicKey, caKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ca: %v", err)
+	}
+	caCert, _ := x509.ParseCertificate(caDER)
+
+	leaf := func(cn string, eku x509.ExtKeyUsage, ips []net.IP) (certPath, keyPath string) {
+		key, _ := ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P256(), rand.Reader)
+		tmpl := &x509.Certificate{
+			SerialNumber: big.NewInt(time.Now().UnixNano()),
+			Subject:      pkix.Name{CommonName: cn},
+			NotBefore:    time.Now().Add(-time.Hour),
+			NotAfter:     time.Now().Add(time.Hour),
+			KeyUsage:     x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature,
+			ExtKeyUsage:  []x509.ExtKeyUsage{eku},
+			IPAddresses:  ips,
+		}
+		der, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, tmpl, caCert, &key.PublicKey, caKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("leaf %s: %v", cn, err)
+		}
+		certPath = filepath.Join(dir, cn+".crt")
+		keyPath = filepath.Join(dir, cn+".key")
+		writePEM(t, certPath, "CERTIFICATE", der)
+		keyDER, _ := x509.MarshalPKCS8PrivateKey(key)
+		writePEM(t, keyPath, "PRIVATE KEY", keyDER)
+		return certPath, keyPath
+	}
+
+	caFile = filepath.Join(dir, "ca.crt")
+	writePEM(t, caFile, "CERTIFICATE", caDER)
+	srvCert, srvKey = leaf("server", x509.ExtKeyUsageServerAuth, []net.IP{net.ParseIP("127.0.0.1")})
+	cliCert, cliKey = leaf("client", x509.ExtKeyUsageClientAuth, nil)
+	return caFile, srvCert, srvKey, cliCert, cliKey
+}
+
+func writePEM(t *testing.T, path, typ string, der []byte) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: typ, Bytes: der}), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// startMTLSHub starts the Hub behind a real mTLS gRPC listener and returns its
+// address and the CA/client cert paths.
+func startMTLSHub(t *testing.T) (hub *Hub, addr, caFile, cliCert, cliKey string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	caFile, srvCert, srvKey, cliCert, cliKey := mintCerts(t)
+	tlsCfg, err := mtls.ServerConfig(srvCert, srvKey, caFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("server config: %v", err)
+	}
+	lis, err := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("listen: %v", err)
+	}
+	hub = NewHub(nil, nil, nil)
+	srv := grpc.NewServer(grpc.Creds(credentials.NewTLS(tlsCfg)))
+	botlinkv1.RegisterBotLinkServer(srv, hub)
+	go func() { _ = srv.Serve(lis) }()
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Stop)
+	return hub, lis.Addr().String(), caFile, cliCert, cliKey
+}
+
+// TestMTLSValidClientDelivers verifies a CA-signed bot connects and receives a
+// pushed command.
+func TestMTLSValidClientDelivers(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, addr, caFile, cliCert, cliKey := startMTLSHub(t)
+	tlsCfg, err := mtls.ClientConfig(cliCert, cliKey, caFile, "127.0.0.1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client config: %v", err)
+	}
+	conn, err := grpc.NewClient(addr, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(credentials.NewTLS(tlsCfg)))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("dial: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = conn.Close() })
+
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	bot := &fakeBot{delivered: true, ack: true}
+	bot.connect(t, ctx, hub, botlinkv1.NewBotLinkClient(conn))
+
+	delivered, err := hub.SendAwait(ctx, SendToUserCommand("42", "hi"))
+	if err != nil || !delivered {
+		t.Fatalf("SendAwait = (%v, %v), want (true, nil)", delivered, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestMTLSRejectsClientWithoutCert verifies the gateway refuses a client that
+// presents no CA-signed certificate — mTLS is the sole guard on the bot-link.
+func TestMTLSRejectsClientWithoutCert(t *testing.T) {
+	hub, addr, caFile, _, _ := startMTLSHub(t)
+	caPEM, _ := os.ReadFile(caFile)
+	pool := x509.NewCertPool()
+	pool.AppendCertsFromPEM(caPEM)
+	// Trusts the server, but presents no client certificate.
+	noCert := credentials.NewTLS(&tls.Config{RootCAs: pool, ServerName: "127.0.0.1", MinVersion: tls.VersionTLS13})
+	conn, err := grpc.NewClient(addr, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(noCert))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("dial: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = conn.Close() })
+
+	stream, err := botlinkv1.NewBotLinkClient(conn).Link(t.Context())
+	if err == nil {
+		err = stream.Send(&botlinkv1.FromBot{Msg: &botlinkv1.FromBot_Hello{Hello: &botlinkv1.Hello{InstanceId: "rogue"}}})
+		if err == nil {
+			_, err = stream.Recv()
+		}
+	}
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected the handshake to be rejected without a client certificate")
+	}
+	hub.mu.Lock()
+	n := len(hub.links)
+	hub.mu.Unlock()
+	if n != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("connected bots = %d, want 0 (rogue must not register)", n)
+	}
+}

gateway/internal/botlink/relay.go

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package botlink
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"time"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+
+	botlinkv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/botlink/v1"
+	telegramv1 "scrabble/pkg/proto/telegram/v1"
+)
+
+// RelayServer lets the backend's admin console reach the remote bot through the
+// gateway: it implements the two admin delivery methods of the Telegram service by
+// forwarding them onto the bot-link and awaiting the bot's Ack. The validation and
+// out-of-app push methods are intentionally unimplemented here — login validation
+// runs against the home validator and out-of-app push goes straight to the Hub.
+type RelayServer struct {
+	telegramv1.UnimplementedTelegramServer
+	hub      *Hub
+	deadline time.Duration
+}
+
+// NewRelayServer builds the relay over hub. deadline bounds the wait for the bot's
+// Ack before reporting the send as not delivered.
+func NewRelayServer(hub *Hub, deadline time.Duration) *RelayServer {
+	return &RelayServer{hub: hub, deadline: deadline}
+}
+
+// SendToUser forwards an admin message for one user to the bot and reports whether
+// it was delivered. A missing bot maps to Unavailable (parity with an unreachable
+// connector); a deadline before the Ack reports delivered=false.
+func (r *RelayServer) SendToUser(ctx context.Context, req *telegramv1.SendToUserRequest) (*telegramv1.SendResponse, error) {
+	delivered, err := r.await(ctx, SendToUserCommand(req.GetExternalId(), req.GetText()))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &telegramv1.SendResponse{Delivered: delivered}, nil
+}
+
+// SendToGameChannel forwards an admin message for the game channel to the bot and
+// reports whether it was delivered.
+func (r *RelayServer) SendToGameChannel(ctx context.Context, req *telegramv1.SendToGameChannelRequest) (*telegramv1.SendResponse, error) {
+	delivered, err := r.await(ctx, SendToGameChannelCommand(req.GetText()))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &telegramv1.SendResponse{Delivered: delivered}, nil
+}
+
+// await sends cmd with the relay deadline and translates the Hub outcome into the
+// gRPC contract the backend client expects.
+func (r *RelayServer) await(ctx context.Context, cmd *botlinkv1.Command) (bool, error) {
+	cctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, r.deadline)
+	defer cancel()
+	delivered, err := r.hub.SendAwait(cctx, cmd)
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, ErrNoBot):
+		return false, status.Error(codes.Unavailable, "no telegram bot connected")
+	case err != nil:
+		return false, status.Error(codes.Internal, err.Error())
+	default:
+		return delivered, nil
+	}
+}