diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp b/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
index 3e99c4e..0f714b4 100644
--- a/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ void ManualController::show_legal_moves(Coords xy) {
 }
 
 void ManualController::make_move(Move move) {
+    // handle promotion before making the move
+    Colour colour = board.white_to_play ? White : Black;
+    Coords source = Coords::from_index(move.source_square);
+    Piece promotion_piece = Piece::None;
+    if (board.piece_at(move.source_square) == Piece::Pawn
+        && board.colour_at(move.source_square) == White && source.y == 6)
+        promotion_piece = (Piece) (colour | view.ask_about_promotion());
+    move.promoting_to = promotion_piece;
     board = board.make_move(move);
     reset_selection();
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/main.cpp b/cpp/src/main.cpp
index a7c1777..ada2f49 100644
--- a/cpp/src/main.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/main.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@
 #include <chrono>
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
-    std::string pos =
-        "r2qkb1r/2p1pppp/p1n1b3/1p6/B2P4/2P1P3/P4PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 9 ";
     // std::string pos =
-    //     "r3k2r/p1ppqpb1/bn2pnp1/3PN3/1p2P3/2N2Q1p/PPPBBPPP/R3K2R w KQkq - 4 3
-    //     ";
+    //     "r2qkb1r/2p1pppp/p1n1b3/1p6/B2P4/2P1P3/P4PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 9 ";
+    std::string pos = "8/6K1/5P2/8/1k6/8/8/8 w - - 0 1";
 
     // pos for ai timing<
     // std::string pos =
diff --git a/cpp/src/view/gui.cpp b/cpp/src/view/gui.cpp
index a80ddd1..97418af 100644
--- a/cpp/src/view/gui.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/view/gui.cpp
@@ -134,6 +134,81 @@ void GUI::draw_pieces(const Board& board) {
     }
 }
 
+int GUI::show_popup(
+    const std::string& message, const std::vector<std::string>& options
+) {
+    sf::RenderWindow popup(sf::VideoMode(300, 200), "Choice");
+    sf::Font font;
+
+    if (!font.loadFromFile("res/arial.ttf")) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: Could not load font!" << std::endl;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    sf::Text text(message, font, 20);
+    text.setPosition(20, 20);
+    text.setFillColor(sf::Color::Black);
+
+    std::vector<sf::RectangleShape> buttonShapes;
+    std::vector<sf::Text> buttonTexts;
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < options.size(); ++i) {
+        sf::RectangleShape button(sf::Vector2f(200, 30));
+        button.setPosition(50, 70 + i * 40);
+        button.setFillColor(sf::Color(150, 150, 150));
+        buttonShapes.push_back(button);
+
+        sf::Text buttonText(options[i], font, 18);
+        buttonText.setPosition(60, 75 + i * 40);
+        buttonText.setFillColor(sf::Color::Black);
+        buttonTexts.push_back(buttonText);
+    }
+
+    while (popup.isOpen()) {
+        sf::Event event;
+        while (popup.pollEvent(event)) {
+            if (event.type == sf::Event::Closed)
+                popup.close();
+            else if (event.type == sf::Event::MouseButtonPressed) {
+                for (size_t i = 0; i < buttonShapes.size(); ++i) {
+                    if (buttonShapes[i].getGlobalBounds().contains(
+                            event.mouseButton.x,
+                            event.mouseButton.y
+                        )) {
+                        popup.close();
+                        return i;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        popup.clear(sf::Color::White);
+        popup.draw(text);
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < buttonShapes.size(); ++i) {
+            popup.draw(buttonShapes[i]);
+            popup.draw(buttonTexts[i]);
+        }
+        popup.display();
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
+
+Piece GUI::ask_about_promotion() {
+    std::vector<std::string> options = {"Queen", "Rook", "Bishop", "Knight"};
+    int idx = show_popup("Please choose a promotion for your pawn", options);
+    switch (idx) {
+    case 0:
+        return Queen;
+    case 1:
+        return Rook;
+    case 2:
+        return Bishop;
+    case 3:
+        return Knigt;
+    };
+    return Piece::None;
+}
+
 void GUI::show() {
     while (window.isOpen())
         handle_events();
diff --git a/cpp/src/view/gui.hpp b/cpp/src/view/gui.hpp
index d134084..ca04796 100644
--- a/cpp/src/view/gui.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/view/gui.hpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class GUI : public View {
     GUI();
 
     void show() override;
+    Piece ask_about_promotion();
     void update_board(const Board&, int8_t, std::vector<int8_t>) override;
     void notify_checkmate(Colour) override;
     void notify_stalemate(Colour) override;
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ class GUI : public View {
     sf::Color colours[2] = {sf::Color(0xB88762FF), sf::Color(0xEDD6B0FF)};
     sf::Color alt_colours[2] = {sf::Color(0xDCC34BFF), sf::Color(0xF6EB72FF)};
 
+
+    int show_popup(
+        const std::string& message, const std::vector<std::string>& options
+    );
     void load_textures();
     void handle_events();
     void handle_click(int, int);
diff --git a/cpp/src/view/view.hpp b/cpp/src/view/view.hpp
index 3713d2b..1649a80 100644
--- a/cpp/src/view/view.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/view/view.hpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class View {
     }
 
     virtual void show() = 0;
+    virtual Piece ask_about_promotion() = 0;
     virtual void update_board(const Board&, int8_t, std::vector<int8_t>) = 0;
     virtual void notify_checkmate(Colour) = 0;
     virtual void notify_stalemate(Colour) = 0;