diff --git a/cpp/src/board.cpp b/cpp/src/board.cpp
index 3c986f9..439b72e 100644
--- a/cpp/src/board.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/board.cpp
@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@ std::string Board::to_fen() const {
 
             int full_piece = this->squares[rank * 8 + file];
             char piece = p2c[full_piece & 0b111];
-            Colour colour = (full_piece & 0b11000) == Colour::White
-                              ? Colour::White
-                              : Colour::Black;
+            int8_t colour = colour_at({file, rank});
 
             if (empty_cell_counter > 0) {
                 ret += std::to_string(empty_cell_counter);
diff --git a/cpp/src/board.hpp b/cpp/src/board.hpp
index 6d7fc60..72c6d44 100644
--- a/cpp/src/board.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/board.hpp
@@ -19,4 +19,12 @@ struct Board {
     Board make_move(Move) const;
     std::string to_fen() const;
     bool is_check_for(int8_t) const;
+
+    int8_t colour_at(int8_t idx) const {
+        return squares[idx] & 0b11000;
+    }
+
+    int8_t colour_at(Coords xy) const {
+        return colour_at(xy.to_index());
+    }
 };
diff --git a/cpp/src/pieces/pawn.cpp b/cpp/src/pieces/pawn.cpp
index bb5f3d7..90776bc 100644
--- a/cpp/src/pieces/pawn.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/pieces/pawn.cpp
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 
 std::vector<Move> pawn_moves(const Board& b, const Coords xy) {
     std::vector<Move> ret{};
-    int8_t me = b.squares[xy.to_index()];
-    int8_t my_colour = me & 0b11000;
+    int8_t my_colour = b.colour_at(xy);
 
     // -- Capture to the left
     if (xy.x > 0) {
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ std::vector<Move> pawn_moves(const Board& b, const Coords xy) {
         Coords left{xy.x - 1, xy.y + dy};
         int8_t capturable_piece = b.squares[left.to_index()];
         if (capturable_piece != 0) {
-            if (my_colour != (capturable_piece & 0b11000))
+            if (my_colour != b.colour_at(left))
                 ret.push_back(Move{xy.to_index(), left.to_index()});
         }
     }
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ std::vector<Move> pawn_moves(const Board& b, const Coords xy) {
         Coords right{xy.x + 1, xy.y + dy};
         int8_t capturable_piece = b.squares[right.to_index()];
         if (capturable_piece != 0) {
-            if (my_colour != (capturable_piece & 0b11000))
+            if (my_colour != b.colour_at(right))
                 ret.push_back(Move{xy.to_index(), right.to_index()});
         }
     }
diff --git a/cpp/src/pieces/piece.cpp b/cpp/src/pieces/piece.cpp
index a30daac..9c192cc 100644
--- a/cpp/src/pieces/piece.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/pieces/piece.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ keep_only_blocking(const std::vector<Move> candidates, const Board& board) {
     if (candidates.size() == 0)
         return {};
 
-    int8_t my_colour = board.squares[candidates[0].source_square] & 0b11000;
+    int8_t my_colour = board.colour_at(candidates[0].source_square);
     std::vector<Move> ret;
     for (Move move : candidates) {
         Board board_after_move = board.make_move(move);
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ move_for_position(const Board& board, const Coords source, const Coords dest) {
     if (piece == Piece::None)
         return Move{source.to_index(), dest.to_index()};
 
-    int8_t source_colour = board.squares[source.to_index()] & 0b11000;
-    int8_t dest_colour = piece & 0b11000;
+    int8_t source_colour = board.colour_at(source);
+    int8_t dest_colour = board.colour_at(dest);
     if (source_colour != dest_colour)
         return Move{source.to_index(), dest.to_index(), true};
     return {};