Chi-squared concentration inequality ($\mathbb{P}(V-n\ge 2\sqrt{nx}+2x)\le e^{-x}$)

For $V\sim {\chi }_n^2$ and $x>0$, the upper tail is at most $e^{-x}$ above $n+2\sqrt{nx}+2x$, and the lower tail is at most $e^{-x}$ below $n-2\sqrt{nx}$. Indeed $\log \mathbb{E}{e}^{s(V-n)}=-ns-(n/2)\log (1-2s)\le n{s}^2/(1-2s)$ for $0<s<1/2$. The Chernoff bound with $s=\sqrt{x/n}/(1+2\sqrt{x/n})$ proves the upper estimate. For the lower estimate, $\log \mathbb{E}{e}^{-s(V-n)}\le n{s}^2$ for $s>0$, and optimization gives the result. The lower threshold can be negative; the chi-squared Chernoff lower-tail bound provides an always-positive alternative.

For $V\sim {\chi }_n^2$ and $0<a<1$, apply the Chernoff bound to $e^{-sV}$ using $\mathbb{E}{e}^{-sV}=(1+2s{)}^{-n/2}$. Optimization at $s=(a^{-1}-1)/2$ proves the displayed estimate. It remains useful when the additive lower threshold in the chi-squared concentration inequality is nonpositive. For $0<r\le 1$, choosing $a=e^{-4r}$ gives a tail at most $e^{-n{r}^2}$ because $e^{-4r}-1+4r\ge 2r^2$.