diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/controller.cpp b/cpp/src/controller/controller.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ea97a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/controller.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#include "controller.hpp"
+
+#include "../view/view.hpp"
+
+Controller::Controller(Board b, View& v): board(b), view(v) {
+    v.set_controller(this);
+}
diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/controller.hpp b/cpp/src/controller/controller.hpp
index 1091e16..dea5610 100644
--- a/cpp/src/controller/controller.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/controller.hpp
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@ class View;
 class Controller {
   protected:
     Board board;
+    View& view;
+
 
   public:
-    // Controller(Board, View);
+    Controller(Board, View&);
+    virtual void start() = 0;
     virtual void on_tile_selected(int, int) = 0;
 };
diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/human_vs_ai.cpp b/cpp/src/controller/human_vs_ai.cpp
index 4339a85..57c45f2 100644
--- a/cpp/src/controller/human_vs_ai.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/human_vs_ai.cpp
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 
 HumanVsAIController::HumanVsAIController(Board b, View& v, ai::AI& ai)
     : ManualController(b, v),
-      ai(ai) {
-    view.set_controller(this);
-    reset_selection();
-}
+      ai(ai) {}
 
 void HumanVsAIController::on_tile_selected(int x, int y) {
     Coords c{x, y};
diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp b/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
index 8400052..0b4c751 100644
--- a/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/manual.cpp
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
-ManualController::ManualController(Board b, View& view): view(view) {
-    board = b;
-    view.set_controller(this);
+ManualController::ManualController(Board b, View& v): Controller(b, v) {
     reset_selection();
 }
 
+void ManualController::start() {
+    view.show();
+}
+
 void ManualController::on_tile_selected(int x, int y) {
     Coords c{x, y};
     Piece piece = board.piece_at(c);
diff --git a/cpp/src/controller/manual.hpp b/cpp/src/controller/manual.hpp
index 8940ce8..f5e9e44 100644
--- a/cpp/src/controller/manual.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/controller/manual.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 class ManualController : public Controller {
   protected:
-    View& view;
     int8_t selected_index;
     Piece selected_piece;
     std::vector<int8_t> targets;
@@ -19,4 +18,5 @@ class ManualController : public Controller {
   public:
     ManualController(Board, View&);
     void on_tile_selected(int, int) override;
+    void start() override;
 };
diff --git a/cpp/src/main.cpp b/cpp/src/main.cpp
index 1cec09a..b995789 100644
--- a/cpp/src/main.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/main.cpp
@@ -18,11 +18,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     GUI gui;
     HumanVsAIController manual(b, gui, ai);
 
-
-    View& view = gui;
     Controller& controller = manual;
 
-    view.show();
+    controller.start();
 
     // perft();
     // ai::v1_simple ai;