diff --git a/modules/chat/src/main/ChatApi.scala b/modules/chat/src/main/ChatApi.scala
index 717d1d5bd9..b0b27de6a8 100644
--- a/modules/chat/src/main/ChatApi.scala
+++ b/modules/chat/src/main/ChatApi.scala
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import reactivemongo.bson.BSONDocument
 import lila.db.Types.Coll
 import lila.user.{ User, UserRepo }
 
-private[chat] final class ChatApi(
+final class ChatApi(
     coll: Coll,
     flood: lila.security.Flood,
     maxLinesPerChat: Int,
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ private[chat] final class ChatApi(
   private def pushLine(chatId: ChatId, line: Line) = coll.update(
     BSONDocument("_id" -> chatId),
     BSONDocument("$push" -> BSONDocument(
-      "messages" -> BSONDocument(
-        "$each" -> line,
-        "$slice" -> maxLinesPerChat)
+      Chat.BSONFields.lines -> BSONDocument(
+        "$each" -> List(line),
+        "$slice" -> -maxLinesPerChat)
     )),
     upsert = true)
 
diff --git a/modules/chat/src/main/FrontActor.scala b/modules/chat/src/main/FrontActor.scala
index 18527d5109..cb2c5fa8fe 100644
--- a/modules/chat/src/main/FrontActor.scala
+++ b/modules/chat/src/main/FrontActor.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package lila.chat
 import akka.actor._
 import chess.Color
 
-import lila.hub.actorApi.chat._
+import actorApi._
 
 private[chat] final class FrontActor(api: ChatApi) extends Actor {
 
@@ -13,18 +13,19 @@ private[chat] final class FrontActor(api: ChatApi) extends Actor {
 
   def receive = {
 
-    case UserTalk(chatId, userId, text)  ⇒ api.userChat.write(chatId, userId, text) foreach publish(chatId)
+    case UserTalk(chatId, userId, text, replyTo) ⇒
+      api.userChat.write(chatId, userId, text) foreach publish(chatId, replyTo)
 
-    case PlayerTalk(chatId, color, text) ⇒ api.playerChat.write(chatId, Color(color), text) foreach publish(chatId)
+    case PlayerTalk(chatId, color, text, replyTo) ⇒
+      api.playerChat.write(chatId, Color(color), text) foreach publish(chatId, replyTo)
 
-    case SystemTalk(chatId, text)        ⇒ api.userChat.system(chatId, text) foreach publish(chatId)
-
-    case msg: NotifyLine                 ⇒ bus.publish(msg, 'chatOut)
+    case SystemTalk(chatId, text, replyTo) ⇒
+      api.userChat.system(chatId, text) foreach publish(chatId, replyTo)
   }
 
-  def publish(chatId: String)(lineOption: Option[Line]) {
+  def publish(chatId: String, replyTo: ActorRef)(lineOption: Option[Line]) {
     lineOption foreach { line ⇒
-      self ! NotifyLine(chatId, Line toJson line)
+      replyTo ! ChatLine(chatId, line)
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/chat/src/main/Line.scala b/modules/chat/src/main/Line.scala
index add210e4ce..5ce1badd68 100644
--- a/modules/chat/src/main/Line.scala
+++ b/modules/chat/src/main/Line.scala
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ object Line {
     def write(x: Line) = BSONString(lineToStr(x))
   }
 
-  private val UserLineRegex = """^([\w-]{2,})[\s!](.+)$""".r
+  private val UserLineRegex = """^([\w-]{2,})(\s|\!)(.+)$""".r
   def strToUserLine(str: String): Option[UserLine] = str match {
     case UserLineRegex(username, " ", text) ⇒ UserLine(username, text, false).some
     case UserLineRegex(username, "!", text) ⇒ UserLine(username, text, true).some
diff --git a/modules/chat/src/main/actorApi.scala b/modules/chat/src/main/actorApi.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7564fdcb8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/chat/src/main/actorApi.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package lila.chat
+package actorApi
+
+import akka.actor.ActorRef
+
+case class UserTalk(chatId: String, userId: String, text: String, replyTo: ActorRef)
+case class PlayerTalk(chatId: String, white: Boolean, text: String, replyTo: ActorRef)
+case class SystemTalk(chatId: String, text: String, replyTo: ActorRef)
+case class ChatLine(chatId: String, line: Line)
diff --git a/modules/game/src/main/Event.scala b/modules/game/src/main/Event.scala
index f2f0037cd5..648024a5d5 100644
--- a/modules/game/src/main/Event.scala
+++ b/modules/game/src/main/Event.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package lila.game
 
-import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringEscapeUtils.escapeXml
 import play.api.libs.json._
 
+import lila.chat.{ Line, UserLine, PlayerLine }
 import chess.Pos.{ piotr, allPiotrs }
 import chess.{ PromotableRole, Pos, Color, Situation, Move ⇒ ChessMove, Clock ⇒ ChessClock }
 
@@ -107,20 +107,20 @@ object Event {
     def data = JsString(pos.key)
   }
 
-  case class Message(author: String, text: String, t: Boolean) extends Event {
+  case class PlayerMessage(line: PlayerLine) extends Event {
     def typ = "message"
-    def data = Json.obj("u" -> author, "t" -> escapeXml(text))
+    def data = Line toJson line
     override def owner = true
-    override def troll = t
+    override def troll = false
   }
 
   // it *IS* a username, and not a user ID
   // immediately used for rendering
-  case class WatcherMessage(username: Option[String], text: String, t: Boolean) extends Event {
+  case class UserMessage(line: UserLine, w: Boolean) extends Event {
     def typ = "message"
-    def data = Json.obj("u" -> username, "t" -> escapeXml(text))
-    override def watcher = true
-    override def troll = t
+    def data = Line toJson line
+    override def troll = line.troll
+    override def watcher = w
   }
 
   object End extends Empty {
diff --git a/modules/hub/src/main/actorApi.scala b/modules/hub/src/main/actorApi.scala
index 772a70f391..592cb51504 100644
--- a/modules/hub/src/main/actorApi.scala
+++ b/modules/hub/src/main/actorApi.scala
@@ -35,13 +35,6 @@ case class WithUserIds(f: Iterable[String] ⇒ Unit)
 
 case object GetUids
 
-package chat {
-case class UserTalk(chatId: String, userId: String, text: String)
-case class PlayerTalk(chatId: String, white: Boolean, text: String)
-case class SystemTalk(chatId: String, text: String)
-case class NotifyLine(chatId: String, json: JsObject)
-}
-
 package report {
 case class Cheater(userId: String, text: String)
 case class Check(userId: String)
diff --git a/modules/round/src/main/Env.scala b/modules/round/src/main/Env.scala
index 97eb14663d..b5553af276 100644
--- a/modules/round/src/main/Env.scala
+++ b/modules/round/src/main/Env.scala
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ final class Env(
   }), name = ActorMapName)
 
   private val socketHub = system.actorOf(
-    Props(new lila.socket.SocketHubActor.Default[Socket] {
+    Props(new lila.socket.SocketHubActor[Socket] {
       def mkActor(id: String) = new Socket(
         gameId = id,
         history = history(),
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ final class Env(
         socketTimeout = SocketTimeout,
         disconnectTimeout = PlayerDisconnectTimeout,
         ragequitTimeout = PlayerRagequitTimeout)
+      def receive: Receive = ({
+        case msg@lila.chat.actorApi.ChatLine(id, line) ⇒
+          self ! lila.hub.actorApi.map.Tell(id take 8, msg).pp
+      }: Receive) orElse socketHubReceive
     }),
     name = SocketName)
 
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ final class Env(
 
   lazy val messenger = new Messenger(
     bus = system.lilaBus,
+    socketHub = socketHub,
     i18nKeys = i18nKeys)
 
   lazy val fenUrlWatch = new FenUrlWatch(
diff --git a/modules/round/src/main/Messenger.scala b/modules/round/src/main/Messenger.scala
index df9d47c9a8..0f5b8d37eb 100644
--- a/modules/round/src/main/Messenger.scala
+++ b/modules/round/src/main/Messenger.scala
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@ package lila.round
 
 import lila.common.Bus
 import lila.game.Game
-import lila.hub.actorApi.chat._
+import lila.chat.actorApi._
 import lila.i18n.I18nKey.{ Select ⇒ SelectI18nKey }
 import lila.i18n.I18nKeys
 
 final class Messenger(
     bus: Bus,
+    socketHub: akka.actor.ActorRef,
     i18nKeys: I18nKeys) {
 
   def apply(game: Game, message: SelectI18nKey, args: Any*) {
     val translated = message(i18nKeys).en(args: _*)
-    bus.publish(SystemTalk(game.id + "/w", translated), 'chatIn)
-    if (game.nonAi) bus.publish(SystemTalk(game.id, translated), 'chatIn)
+    bus.publish(SystemTalk(game.id + "/w", translated, socketHub), 'chatIn)
+    if (game.nonAi) bus.publish(SystemTalk(game.id, translated, socketHub), 'chatIn)
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/round/src/main/Socket.scala b/modules/round/src/main/Socket.scala
index a82f66901d..2d0832c23b 100644
--- a/modules/round/src/main/Socket.scala
+++ b/modules/round/src/main/Socket.scala
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ private[round] final class Socket(
     disconnectTimeout: Duration,
     ragequitTimeout: Duration) extends SocketActor[Member](uidTimeout) {
 
+  context.system.lilaBus.subscribe(self, 'chatOut)
+
   private val timeBomb = new TimeBomb(socketTimeout)
 
   private final class Player(color: Color) {
@@ -87,8 +89,13 @@ private[round] final class Socket(
       sender ! Connected(enumerator, member)
     }
 
-    case Nil                                         ⇒
-    case events: Events                              ⇒ notify(events)
+    case Nil            ⇒
+    case events: Events ⇒ notify(events)
+
+    case lila.chat.actorApi.ChatLine(chatId, line) ⇒ notify(List(line match {
+      case l: lila.chat.UserLine   ⇒ Event.UserMessage(l, chatId endsWith "/w")
+      case l: lila.chat.PlayerLine ⇒ Event.PlayerMessage(l)
+    }))
 
     case AnalysisAvailable                           ⇒ notifyAll("analysisAvailable", true)
 
diff --git a/modules/round/src/main/SocketHandler.scala b/modules/round/src/main/SocketHandler.scala
index 4829778187..828e6aa674 100644
--- a/modules/round/src/main/SocketHandler.scala
+++ b/modules/round/src/main/SocketHandler.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import chess.Color
 import play.api.libs.json.{ JsObject, Json }
 
 import actorApi._, round._
+import lila.chat.actorApi._
 import lila.common.PimpedJson._
 import lila.game.{ Game, Pov, PovRef, PlayerRef, GameRepo }
 import lila.hub.actorApi.map._
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ private[round] final class SocketHandler(
       case ("liveGames", o) ⇒ o str "d" foreach { ids ⇒
         socket ! LiveGames(uid, ids.split(' ').toList)
       }
+      case ("talk", o) ⇒ o str "d" foreach { text ⇒
+        member.userId foreach { userId =>
+          bus.publish(UserTalk(gameId + "/w", userId, text, socket), 'chatIn)
+        }
+      }
     }) { playerId ⇒
       {
         case ("p", o)            ⇒ o int "v" foreach { v ⇒ socket ! PingVersion(uid, v) }
@@ -70,8 +76,8 @@ private[round] final class SocketHandler(
         }
         case ("talk", o) ⇒ o str "d" foreach { text ⇒
           bus.publish(member.userId match {
-            case Some(userId) ⇒ lila.hub.actorApi.chat.UserTalk(uid, userId, text)
-            case None         ⇒ lila.hub.actorApi.chat.PlayerTalk(uid, member.color.white, text)
+            case Some(userId) ⇒ UserTalk(gameId, userId, text, socket)
+            case None         ⇒ PlayerTalk(gameId, member.color.white, text, socket)
           }, 'chatIn)
         }
       }
diff --git a/project/Build.scala b/project/Build.scala
index 14573768d8..70dd5c1b23 100644
--- a/project/Build.scala
+++ b/project/Build.scala
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ object ApplicationBuild extends Build {
       play.api, play.test, RM, PRM, hasher)
   )
 
-  lazy val game = project("game", Seq(common, memo, db, hub, user, chess)).settings(
+  lazy val game = project("game", Seq(common, memo, db, hub, user, chess, chat)).settings(
     libraryDependencies ++= provided(
       play.api, RM, PRM)
   )
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ object ApplicationBuild extends Build {
   )
 
   lazy val round = project("round", Seq(
-    common, db, memo, hub, socket, chess, game, user, i18n, ai, pref)).settings(
+    common, db, memo, hub, socket, chess, game, user, i18n, ai, pref, chat)).settings(
     libraryDependencies ++= provided(play.api, RM, PRM)
   )
 
diff --git a/public/javascripts/big.js b/public/javascripts/big.js
index d376901bd5..b6c859bcd7 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/big.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/big.js
@@ -348,6 +348,11 @@ var storage = {
             });
           }
         },
+        message: function(msg) {
+          $('div.lichess_chat').each(function() {
+            $(this).chat("append", msg);
+          });
+        },
         nbm: function(e) {
           $('#nb_messages').text(e || "0").toggleClass("unread", e > 0);
         },
@@ -1584,11 +1589,12 @@ var storage = {
       if (!$toggle[0].checked) {
         self.element.addClass('hidden');
       }
+      if (self.options.messages.length > 0) self._appendMany(self.options.messages);
     },
     append: function(msg) {
       this._appendHtml(this._render(msg));
     },
-    appendMany: function(objs) {
+    _appendMany: function(objs) {
       var self = this,
         html = "";
       $.each(objs, function() {
@@ -1605,7 +1611,7 @@ var storage = {
       } else {
         user = '<span class="user">' + $.userLinkLimit(msg.u, 14) + '</span>';
       }
-      return '<li class="' + (u == 'system' ? ' trans_me' : '') + (msg.r ? ' troll' : '') + '">' + urlToLink(msg.t) + '</li>';
+      return '<li class="' + (msg.u == 'system' ? ' trans_me' : '') + (msg.r ? ' troll' : '') + '">' + user + urlToLink(msg.t) + '</li>';
     },
     _appendHtml: function(html) {
       this.$msgs.append(html);
diff --git a/public/stylesheets/board.css b/public/stylesheets/board.css
index 19bc3cc432..3776b6fdca 100644
--- a/public/stylesheets/board.css
+++ b/public/stylesheets/board.css
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ div.lichess_board_wrap {
   float: left;
   border: 1px solid #ccc;
   position: relative;
-  display: none;
 }
 span.board_mark {
   position: absolute;