diff --git a/src/bitboard.rs b/src/bitboard.rs
index bbda9d8..ab2bef1 100644
--- a/src/bitboard.rs
+++ b/src/bitboard.rs
@@ -51,23 +51,9 @@ impl BitBoard {
     #[cfg(not(feature = "bitvec"))]
     pub const fn set(&mut self, row: usize, col: usize, value: bool) {
         let index = Self::get_index(row, col);
-        if value {
-            self.set_bit(index); // Set the bit at (row, col) to 1
-        } else {
-            self.clear_bit(index); // Clear the bit at (row, col)
-        }
-    }
-
-    #[cfg(not(feature = "bitvec"))]
-    const fn clear_bit(&mut self, index: usize) {
-        self.0 &= !(1 << index)
-    }
-
-    // PERF! was going to optimize setting multiple indexes,
-    // seems rust does this for us: https://godbolt.org/z/ddj3dMxsP
-    #[cfg(not(feature = "bitvec"))]
-    const fn set_bit(&mut self, index: usize) {
-        self.0 |= 1 << index
+        // PERF! branchless setting of bit (~+3% perf bump)
+        self.0 &= !(1 << index); // clear bit
+        self.0 |= (value as BitBoardInner) << index; // set bit (if needed)
     }
 
     const fn get_index(row: usize, col: usize) -> usize {