diff --git a/src/board.rs b/src/board.rs
index ecbd2fd..a85524c 100644
--- a/src/board.rs
+++ b/src/board.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ struct PosMap<T>(ArrayVec<T, BOARD_AREA>);
 
 impl<T> PosMap<T> {
     pub fn get(&self, row: usize, col: usize) -> &T {
-        &self.0[row * BOARD_SIZE + col]
+        let index = row * BOARD_SIZE + col;
+
+        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+        if index > BOARD_AREA + 1 {
+            panic!("index is out of range");
+        }
+
+        unsafe { &self.0.get_unchecked(index) }
     }
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +79,7 @@ fn gen_adj_lookup() -> PosMap<ChainCollection> {
                     "chains go out-of-bounds"
                 );
 
-                // ensure all nodes in all chains are unique across chains, ensures beavior in
+                // SAFETY! ensure all nodes in all chains are unique across chains, ensures beavior in
                 // [`Board::propegate_from`]
                 let mut uniq = HashSet::new();
                 assert!(
@@ -328,8 +335,8 @@ impl Board {
     /// Get the "net score" of a player
     /// Formula: `net_score = Score_player - Score_opponent`
     #[const_fn(cfg(not(feature = "bitvec")))]
-    pub const fn net_score(&self, piece: Piece) -> isize {
-        self.count(piece) as isize - self.count(piece.flip()) as isize
+    pub const fn net_score(&self, piece: Piece) -> i16 {
+        self.count(piece) as i16 - self.count(piece.flip()) as i16
     }
 
     /// Returns the winner of the board (if any)