diff --git a/app/AppApi.scala b/app/AppApi.scala
index 854c1c7e63..a7a1230f28 100644
--- a/app/AppApi.scala
+++ b/app/AppApi.scala
@@ -21,47 +21,62 @@ final class AppApi(
     messenger: Messenger,
     starter: Starter) {
 
-  private implicit val timeout = Timeout(200 millis)
+  private implicit val timeout = Timeout(300 millis)
   private implicit val executor = Akka.system.dispatcher
 
-  def show(fullId: String): Future[IO[Map[String, Any]]] =
+  def show(fullId: String): Future[IO[Valid[Map[String, Any]]]] =
     (gameHubMemo getFromFullId fullId) ? game.GetVersion map {
       case game.Version(version) ⇒ for {
-        pov ← gameRepo pov fullId
-        roomHtml ← messenger render pov.game.id
-      } yield Map(
-        "version" -> version,
-        "roomHtml" -> roomHtml,
-        "possibleMoves" -> {
-          if (pov.game playableBy pov.player)
-            pov.game.toChess.situation.destinations map {
-              case (from, dests) ⇒ from.key -> (dests.mkString)
-            } toMap
-          else null
-        }
-      )
+        povOption ← gameRepo pov fullId
+        gameInfo ← povOption.fold(
+          pov ⇒ messenger render pov.game.id map { roomHtml ⇒
+            Map(
+              "version" -> version,
+              "roomHtml" -> roomHtml,
+              "possibleMoves" -> {
+                if (pov.game playableBy pov.player)
+                  pov.game.toChess.situation.destinations map {
+                    case (from, dests) ⇒ from.key -> (dests.mkString)
+                  } toMap
+                else null
+              }
+            ).success
+          },
+          io(GameNotFound)
+        )
+      } yield gameInfo
     }
 
   def join(
     fullId: String,
     url: String,
     messages: String,
-    entryData: String): IO[Unit] = for {
-    pov ← gameRepo pov fullId
-    p1 ← starter.start(pov.game, entryData)
-    p2 ← messenger.systemMessages(p1.game, messages) map { evts ⇒
-      p1 + RedirectEvent(!pov.color, url) ++ evts
-    }
-    _ ← gameRepo save p2
-    _ ← gameSocket send p2
-  } yield ()
+    entryData: String): IO[Valid[Unit]] = for {
+    povOption ← gameRepo pov fullId
+    op ← povOption.fold(
+      pov ⇒ for {
+        p1 ← starter.start(pov.game, entryData)
+        p2 ← messenger.systemMessages(p1.game, messages) map { evts ⇒
+          p1 + RedirectEvent(!pov.color, url) ++ evts
+        }
+        _ ← gameRepo save p2
+        _ ← gameSocket send p2
+      } yield success(),
+      io(GameNotFound)
+    )
+  } yield op
 
-  def start(gameId: String, entryData: String): IO[Unit] = for {
-    g1 ← gameRepo game gameId
-    progress ← starter.start(g1, entryData)
-    _ ← gameRepo save progress
-    _ ← gameSocket send progress
-  } yield ()
+  def start(gameId: String, entryData: String): IO[Valid[Unit]] =
+    gameRepo game gameId flatMap { gameOption ⇒
+      gameOption.fold(
+        g1 ⇒ for {
+          progress ← starter.start(g1, entryData)
+          _ ← gameRepo save progress
+          _ ← gameSocket send progress
+        } yield success(Unit),
+        io { !!("No such game") }
+      )
+    }
 
   def rematchAccept(
     gameId: String,
@@ -70,32 +85,47 @@ final class AppApi(
     whiteRedirect: String,
     blackRedirect: String,
     entryData: String,
-    messageString: String): IO[Unit] = for {
+    messageString: String): IO[Valid[Unit]] = for {
     color ← ioColor(colorName)
-    newGame ← gameRepo game newGameId
-    g1 ← gameRepo game gameId
-    progress = Progress(g1, List(
-      RedirectEvent(White, whiteRedirect),
-      RedirectEvent(Black, blackRedirect),
-      // to tell spectators to reload the table
-      ReloadTableEvent(White),
-      ReloadTableEvent(Black)))
-    _ ← gameRepo save progress
-    _ ← gameSocket send progress
-    newProgress ← starter.start(newGame, entryData)
-    newProgress2 ← messenger.systemMessages(
-      newProgress.game, messageString
-    ) map newProgress.++
-    _ ← gameRepo save newProgress2
-    _ ← gameSocket send newProgress2
-  } yield ()
+    newGameOption ← gameRepo game newGameId
+    g1Option ← gameRepo game gameId
+    result ← (newGameOption |@| g1Option).tupled.fold(
+      games ⇒ {
+        val (newGame, g1) = games
+        val progress = Progress(g1, List(
+          RedirectEvent(White, whiteRedirect),
+          RedirectEvent(Black, blackRedirect),
+          // tell spectators to reload the table
+          ReloadTableEvent(White),
+          ReloadTableEvent(Black)))
+        for {
+          _ ← gameRepo save progress
+          _ ← gameSocket send progress
+          newProgress ← starter.start(newGame, entryData)
+          newProgress2 ← messenger.systemMessages(
+            newProgress.game, messageString
+          ) map newProgress.++
+          _ ← gameRepo save newProgress2
+          _ ← gameSocket send newProgress2
+        } yield success()
+      },
+      io(GameNotFound)
+    ): IO[Valid[Unit]]
+  } yield result
 
-  def reloadTable(gameId: String): IO[Unit] = for {
-    g1 ← gameRepo game gameId
-    progress = Progress(g1, Color.all map ReloadTableEvent)
-    _ ← gameRepo save progress
-    _ ← gameSocket send progress
-  } yield ()
+  def reloadTable(gameId: String): IO[Valid[Unit]] = for {
+    g1Option ← gameRepo game gameId
+    result ← g1Option.fold(
+      g1 ⇒ {
+        val progress = Progress(g1, Color.all map ReloadTableEvent)
+        for {
+          _ ← gameRepo save progress
+          _ ← gameSocket send progress
+        } yield success()
+      },
+      io(GameNotFound)
+    )
+  } yield result
 
   def gameVersion(gameId: String): Future[Int] =
     (gameHubMemo get gameId) ? game.GetVersion map {
diff --git a/app/Cron.scala b/app/Cron.scala
index 371cefad95..842ba72f4e 100644
--- a/app/Cron.scala
+++ b/app/Cron.scala
@@ -7,14 +7,9 @@ import akka.util.duration._
 import akka.util.{ Duration, Timeout }
 import scalaz.effects._
 
-import socket.GetNbMembers
-import site.{ NbMembers, WithUsernames }
-import lobby.WithHooks
-import RichDuration._
-
 final class Cron(env: SystemEnv)(implicit app: Application) {
 
-  implicit val timeout = Timeout(200 millis)
+  implicit val timeout = Timeout(500 millis)
   implicit val executor = Akka.system.dispatcher
 
   message(2 seconds) {
@@ -22,11 +17,11 @@ final class Cron(env: SystemEnv)(implicit app: Application) {
   }
 
   message(1 second) {
-    env.lobbyHub -> WithHooks(env.hookMemo.putAll)
+    env.lobbyHub -> lobby.WithHooks(env.hookMemo.putAll)
   }
 
   message(2 seconds) {
-    env.siteHub -> NbMembers
+    env.siteHub -> site.NbMembers
   }
 
   effect(2 seconds) {
@@ -38,7 +33,7 @@ final class Cron(env: SystemEnv)(implicit app: Application) {
   }
 
   message(3 seconds) {
-    env.siteHub -> WithUsernames(env.userRepo.updateOnlineUsernames)
+    env.siteHub -> site.WithUsernames(env.userRepo.updateOnlineUsernames)
   }
 
   effect(2 hours) {
@@ -53,6 +48,8 @@ final class Cron(env: SystemEnv)(implicit app: Application) {
     env.remoteAi.diagnose
   }
 
+  import RichDuration._
+
   def effect(freq: Duration)(op: IO[_]) {
     Akka.system.scheduler.schedule(freq, freq.randomize()) { op.unsafePerformIO }
   }
diff --git a/app/Finisher.scala b/app/Finisher.scala
index 31e91c2d01..426d982ebf 100644
--- a/app/Finisher.scala
+++ b/app/Finisher.scala
@@ -104,6 +104,4 @@ final class Finisher(
         _ ← historyRepo.addEntry(blackUser.usernameCanonical, blackElo, game.id)
       } yield ()
     } | io()
-
-  private def !!(msg: String) = failure(msg.wrapNel)
 }
diff --git a/app/Hand.scala b/app/Hand.scala
index 02ec89296c..9a77a5a39c 100644
--- a/app/Hand.scala
+++ b/app/Hand.scala
@@ -129,11 +129,17 @@ final class Hand(
     action: Pov ⇒ Valid[IO[A]]): IO[Valid[A]] =
     fromPov(ref) { pov ⇒ action(pov).sequence }
 
-  private def fromPov[A](fullId: String)(op: Pov ⇒ IO[A]): IO[A] =
-    gameRepo pov fullId flatMap op
+  private def fromPov[A](ref: PovRef)(op: Pov ⇒ IO[Valid[A]]): IO[Valid[A]] =
+    fromPov(gameRepo pov ref)(op)
 
-  private def fromPov[A](ref: PovRef)(op: Pov ⇒ IO[A]): IO[A] =
-    gameRepo pov ref flatMap op
+  private def fromPov[A](fullId: String)(op: Pov ⇒ IO[Valid[A]]): IO[Valid[A]] =
+    fromPov(gameRepo pov fullId)(op)
 
-  private def !!(msg: String) = failure(msg.wrapNel)
+  private def fromPov[A](povIO: IO[Option[Pov]])(op: Pov ⇒ IO[Valid[A]]): IO[Valid[A]] =
+    povIO flatMap { povOption ⇒
+      povOption.fold(
+        pov ⇒ op(pov),
+        io { "No such game".failNel }
+      )
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/SystemEnv.scala b/app/SystemEnv.scala
index dd6b02fc83..07e318ac68 100644
--- a/app/SystemEnv.scala
+++ b/app/SystemEnv.scala
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ final class SystemEnv(config: Config) {
     makeHistory = gameHistory)
 
   lazy val gameSocket = new game.Socket(
-    getGame = gameRepo.gameOption,
+    getGame = gameRepo.game,
     hand = hand,
     hubMemo = gameHubMemo,
     messenger = messenger)
diff --git a/app/controllers/AppApiC.scala b/app/controllers/AppApiC.scala
index b291fddba5..9a96c1f10c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/AppApiC.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/AppApiC.scala
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@ object AppApiC extends LilaController {
 
   def show(fullId: String) = Action {
     Async {
-      (api show fullId).asPromise map JsonIOk
+      (api show fullId).asPromise map { op ⇒
+        op.unsafePerformIO.fold(e ⇒ BadRequest(e.shows), JsonOk)
+      }
     }
   }
 
   def reloadTable(gameId: String) = Action {
-    IOk(api reloadTable gameId)
+    ValidIOk(api reloadTable gameId)
   }
 
   def start(gameId: String) = Action { implicit request ⇒
diff --git a/app/controllers/LilaController.scala b/app/controllers/LilaController.scala
index f206e79bee..e0212be3c6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/LilaController.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/LilaController.scala
@@ -28,12 +28,18 @@ trait LilaController extends Controller with ContentTypes with RequestGetter {
     _ ⇒ Ok("ok")
   )
 
-  def FormValidIOk[A](form: Form[A])(op: A ⇒ IO[Unit])(implicit request: Request[_]) =
+  def FormIOk[A](form: Form[A])(op: A ⇒ IO[Unit])(implicit request: Request[_]) =
     form.bindFromRequest.fold(
       form ⇒ BadRequest(form.errors mkString "\n"),
       data ⇒ IOk(op(data))
     )
 
+  def FormValidIOk[A](form: Form[A])(op: A ⇒ IO[Valid[Unit]])(implicit request: Request[_]) =
+    form.bindFromRequest.fold(
+      form ⇒ BadRequest(form.errors mkString "\n"),
+      data ⇒ ValidIOk(op(data))
+    )
+
   def IOk(op: IO[Unit]) = Ok(op.unsafePerformIO)
 
   // I like Unit requests.
diff --git a/app/db/GameRepo.scala b/app/db/GameRepo.scala
index d3b7602c87..afb23bab8c 100644
--- a/app/db/GameRepo.scala
+++ b/app/db/GameRepo.scala
@@ -19,37 +19,30 @@ import scalaz.effects._
 class GameRepo(collection: MongoCollection)
     extends SalatDAO[RawDbGame, String](collection) {
 
-  def game(gameId: String): IO[DbGame] = io {
-    if (gameId.size != gameIdSize)
-      throw new Exception("Invalid game id " + gameId)
-    findOneByID(gameId) flatMap decode err "No game found for id " + gameId
-  }
-
-  def gameOption(gameId: String): IO[Option[DbGame]] = io {
+  def game(gameId: String): IO[Option[DbGame]] = io {
     if (gameId.size != gameIdSize) None
     else findOneByID(gameId) flatMap decode
   }
 
-  def pov(ref: PovRef): IO[Pov] = pov(ref.gameId, ref.color)
-
-  def pov(gameId: String, color: Color): IO[Pov] =
-    game(gameId) map { g ⇒ Pov(g, g player color) }
-
-  def player(gameId: String, color: Color): IO[DbPlayer] =
-    game(gameId) map { g ⇒ g player color }
-
-  def pov(fullId: String): IO[Pov] =
-    game(fullId take gameIdSize) map { g ⇒
-      val playerId = fullId drop gameIdSize
-      val player = g player playerId err "No player found for id " + fullId
-      Pov(g, player)
+  def player(gameId: String, color: Color): IO[Option[DbPlayer]] =
+    game(gameId) map { gameOption ⇒
+      gameOption map { _ player color }
     }
 
-  def povOption(gameId: String, color: Color): IO[Option[Pov]] =
-    gameOption(gameId) map { gOption ⇒
-      gOption map { g ⇒ Pov(g, g player color) }
+  def pov(gameId: String, color: Color): IO[Option[Pov]] =
+    game(gameId) map { gameOption ⇒
+      gameOption map { g ⇒ Pov(g, g player color) }
     }
 
+  def pov(fullId: String): IO[Option[Pov]] =
+    game(fullId take gameIdSize) map { gameOption ⇒
+      gameOption flatMap { g ⇒
+        g player (fullId drop gameIdSize) map { Pov(g, _) }
+      }
+    }
+
+  def pov(ref: PovRef): IO[Option[Pov]] = pov(ref.gameId, ref.color)
+
   def save(game: DbGame): IO[Unit] = io {
     update(DBObject("_id" -> game.id), _grater asDBObject encode(game))
   }
diff --git a/app/db/MessageRepo.scala b/app/db/MessageRepo.scala
index bb7e605fea..ea4b6f654a 100644
--- a/app/db/MessageRepo.scala
+++ b/app/db/MessageRepo.scala
@@ -36,6 +36,4 @@ extends CappedRepo[Message](collection, max) {
   def encode(obj: Message): DBObject = DBObject(
     "u" -> obj.username,
     "t" -> obj.text)
-
-  private def !!(msg: String) = failure(msg.wrapNel)
 }
diff --git a/app/lobby/Api.scala b/app/lobby/Api.scala
index 1a50dddb59..088f6f7e0e 100644
--- a/app/lobby/Api.scala
+++ b/app/lobby/Api.scala
@@ -27,21 +27,28 @@ final class Api(
     entryData: String,
     messageString: String,
     hookOwnerId: String,
-    myHookOwnerId: Option[String]): IO[Unit] = for {
+    myHookOwnerId: Option[String]): IO[Valid[Unit]] = for {
     hook ← hookRepo ownedHook hookOwnerId
-    color ← ioColor(colorName)
-    game ← gameRepo game gameId
-    p1 ← starter.start(game, entryData)
-    p2 ← messenger.systemMessages(game, messageString) map p1.++
-    _ ← gameRepo save p2
-    _ ← gameSocket send p2
-    _ ← hook.fold(h ⇒ fisherman.bite(h, p2.game), io())
-    _ ← myHookOwnerId.fold(
-      ownerId ⇒ hookRepo ownedHook ownerId flatMap { myHook ⇒
-        myHook.fold(fisherman.delete, io())
+    gameOption ← gameRepo game gameId
+    result ← (Color(colorName) |@| gameOption).tupled.fold(
+      colorGame ⇒ {
+        val (color, game) = colorGame
+        for {
+          p1 ← starter.start(game, entryData)
+          p2 ← messenger.systemMessages(game, messageString) map p1.++
+          _ ← gameRepo save p2
+          _ ← gameSocket send p2
+          _ ← hook.fold(h ⇒ fisherman.bite(h, p2.game), io())
+          _ ← myHookOwnerId.fold(
+            ownerId ⇒ hookRepo ownedHook ownerId flatMap { myHook ⇒
+              myHook.fold(fisherman.delete, io())
+            },
+            io())
+        } yield success()
       },
-      io())
-  } yield ()
+      io(GameNotFound)
+    )
+  } yield result
 
   def create(hookOwnerId: String): IO[Unit] = for {
     hook ← hookRepo ownedHook hookOwnerId
diff --git a/app/lobby/Preload.scala b/app/lobby/Preload.scala
index b7924923ef..8f71d887b6 100644
--- a/app/lobby/Preload.scala
+++ b/app/lobby/Preload.scala
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ final class Preload(
     myHook: Option[Hook],
     std: () ⇒ IO[Response]): IO[Response] = myHook.fold(
     h ⇒ h.gameId.fold(
-      ref ⇒ gameRepo gameOption ref map { game ⇒
+      ref ⇒ gameRepo game ref map { game ⇒
         game.fold(
           g ⇒ redirect(g fullIdOf g.creatorColor),
           redirect()
diff --git a/app/package.scala b/app/package.scala
index 5e3deaea52..8f019e4321 100644
--- a/app/package.scala
+++ b/app/package.scala
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ package object lila
     override val typeHintStrategy = StringTypeHintStrategy(when = TypeHintFrequency.Never)
   }
 
+  def !!(msg: String) = msg.failNel
+
+  val GameNotFound = !!("Game not found")
+
   implicit def addPP[A](a: A) = new {
     def pp[A] = a ~ println
   }
diff --git a/chess/src/main/scala/ReverseEngineering.scala b/chess/src/main/scala/ReverseEngineering.scala
index 32ed555c6f..c7df3726d8 100644
--- a/chess/src/main/scala/ReverseEngineering.scala
+++ b/chess/src/main/scala/ReverseEngineering.scala
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ final class ReverseEngineering(fromGame: Game, to: Board) {
     } toList
   }
 
-  private def !!(msg: String) = failure(msg.wrapNel)
+  private def !!(msg: String) = msg.failNel
 }