diff --git a/ventures/havre/split.js b/ventures/havre/split.js
index 7762609..46af0d3 100644
--- a/ventures/havre/split.js
+++ b/ventures/havre/split.js
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 // split.js: on a wide screen, the line between the list (chats / characters / harbor) and the chat can be dragged, or
-// moved with the arrow keys once focused. Double-click (or Home) puts it back. The width is kept in this browser.
-// Below 1040px the two take turns on screen, so there is nothing to drag and the divider hides (style.css).
+// moved with the arrow keys once focused. Double-click (or Home) puts it back. The list can also be hidden, like a
+// sidebar: the ‹ button on the line, dragging it most of the way to the left, or Ctrl/Cmd+B; › brings it back.
+// The width and whether it's hidden are kept in this browser. Below 1040px the two take turns on screen, so there is
+// nothing to drag and the divider hides (style.css).
 (() => {
-  const KEY = "havre.split", MIN = 320, CHAT_MIN = 380;
-  const get = () => { try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(KEY)); } catch { return null; } };
-  const put = (v) => { try { v == null ? localStorage.removeItem(KEY) : localStorage.setItem(KEY, JSON.stringify(v)); } catch { /* not kept */ } };
+  const KEY = "havre.split", HID = "havre.split.hidden", MIN = 320, CHAT_MIN = 380, SNAP = 200;
+  const get = (k) => { try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(k)); } catch { return null; } };
+  const put = (k, v) => { try { v == null ? localStorage.removeItem(k) : localStorage.setItem(k, JSON.stringify(v)); } catch { /* not kept */ } };
   function start() {
     const studio = document.getElementById("studio"), chars = document.getElementById("chars"), chat = document.getElementById("chat");
     if (!studio || !chars || !chat) return;
@@ -16,39 +18,67 @@
     bar.setAttribute("aria-controls", "chars");
     bar.setAttribute("aria-label", "Resize the list and the chat");
     bar.title = "drag to resize · double-click to reset";
+    const btn = document.createElement("button");
+    btn.type = "button";
+    btn.className = "splitbtn";
+    bar.append(btn);
     chat.before(bar);
     const wide = () => window.matchMedia("(min-width: 1041px)").matches;
     const clamp = (w) => Math.round(Math.max(MIN, Math.min(w, studio.clientWidth - CHAT_MIN - bar.offsetWidth)));
+    let hidden = get(HID) === true;
+    function show() {
+      const off = hidden && wide();
+      studio.classList.toggle("list-hidden", off);
+      btn.textContent = off ? "›" : "‹";
+      btn.setAttribute("aria-label", off ? "Show the list" : "Hide the list");
+      btn.title = off ? "show the list (ctrl+b)" : "hide the list (ctrl+b)";
+      btn.setAttribute("aria-expanded", off ? "false" : "true");
+    }
+    function hide(on) { hidden = on; put(HID, on || null); show(); }
     function set(w, keep = true) {
-      if (w == null || !wide()) { chars.style.flex = ""; bar.removeAttribute("aria-valuenow"); if (w == null && keep) put(null); return; }
+      if (w == null || !wide()) { chars.style.flex = ""; bar.removeAttribute("aria-valuenow"); if (w == null && keep) put(KEY, null); return; }
       w = clamp(w);
       chars.style.flex = `0 0 ${w}px`;
       bar.setAttribute("aria-valuenow", String(w));
-      if (keep) put(w);
+      if (keep) put(KEY, w);
     }
-    set(get(), false);
-    window.addEventListener("resize", () => set(get(), false));
+    set(get(KEY), false);
+    show();
+    window.addEventListener("resize", () => { set(get(KEY), false); show(); });
+    btn.addEventListener("pointerdown", (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+    btn.addEventListener("dblclick", (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+    btn.addEventListener("click", () => hide(!hidden));
     bar.addEventListener("pointerdown", (e) => {
       if (!wide() || e.button !== 0) return;
       e.preventDefault();
       bar.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
-      const left = chars.getBoundingClientRect().left;
+      const left = studio.getBoundingClientRect().left;
       document.body.classList.add("splitting");
-      const move = (ev) => set(ev.clientX - left);
+      const move = (ev) => {
+        const w = ev.clientX - left;
+        if (w < SNAP) { if (!hidden) hide(true); return; }     // most of the way left: tuck it away
+        if (hidden) hide(false);
+        set(w);
+      };
       const up = () => { bar.removeEventListener("pointermove", move); bar.removeEventListener("pointerup", up); bar.removeEventListener("pointercancel", up); document.body.classList.remove("splitting"); };
       bar.addEventListener("pointermove", move);
       bar.addEventListener("pointerup", up);
       bar.addEventListener("pointercancel", up);
     });
-    bar.addEventListener("dblclick", () => set(null));
+    bar.addEventListener("dblclick", () => { hide(false); set(null); });
     bar.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
+      if (e.target !== bar) return;
       const now = chars.getBoundingClientRect().width, step = e.shiftKey ? 80 : 20;
-      if (e.key === "ArrowLeft") set(now - step);
-      else if (e.key === "ArrowRight") set(now + step);
-      else if (e.key === "Home") set(null);
+      if (e.key === "ArrowLeft") { if (hidden) return e.preventDefault(); if (now - step < MIN) hide(true); else set(now - step); }
+      else if (e.key === "ArrowRight") { if (hidden) hide(false); else set(now + step); }
+      else if (e.key === "Home") { hide(false); set(null); }
+      else if (e.key === "Enter" || e.key === " ") hide(!hidden);
       else return;
       e.preventDefault();
     });
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
+      if ((e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) && !e.altKey && !e.shiftKey && e.key.toLowerCase() === "b" && wide()) { e.preventDefault(); hide(!hidden); }
+    });
   }
   if (document.readyState === "loading") document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", start); else start();
 })();
diff --git a/ventures/havre/style.css b/ventures/havre/style.css
index b39c110..4b7e7c4 100644
--- a/ventures/havre/style.css
+++ b/ventures/havre/style.css
@@ -148,6 +148,15 @@ input:disabled, textarea:disabled, select:disabled { background: var(--well); co
 .splitter { flex: 0 0 7px; align-self: stretch; margin-left: -4px; margin-right: -3px; position: relative; z-index: 2; cursor: col-resize; touch-action: none; }
 .splitter:hover, .splitter:focus-visible, .splitting .splitter { background: var(--hi); outline: none; }
 body.splitting { cursor: col-resize; user-select: none; }
+.splitbtn {
+  position: sticky; top: 12px; left: 0; margin: 12px 0 0 -9px; width: 26px; height: 32px; padding: 0;
+  border: 1px solid var(--ink); border-radius: 0; background: var(--paper); color: var(--ink); font: 700 16px/1 var(--mono); cursor: pointer;
+}
+.splitbtn:hover, .splitbtn:focus-visible { background: var(--hi); }
+/* the list hidden, like a sidebar: the chat takes the width, the line stays to bring it back */
+.studio.list-hidden .chars { display: none; }
+.studio.list-hidden .splitter { flex-basis: 30px; margin: 0; border-right: 1px solid var(--ink); }
+.studio.list-hidden .splitbtn { margin-left: 1px; }
 .chat {
   flex: 1 1 440px; min-width: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column;
   position: sticky; top: 0; max-height: 100vh;