diff --git a/src/eval.rs b/src/eval.rs
index cb23d39..38df8ba 100644
--- a/src/eval.rs
+++ b/src/eval.rs
@@ -509,16 +509,17 @@ mod tests {
                 // expected (signed) value gain of exchange
                 Rook.value(),
             ),
-            (
-                "8/8/4b3/2kq4/2PKP3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1",
-                "d5",
-                Queen.value(),
-            ),
+            ("8/8/4b3/2kq4/2PKP3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1", "d5", Queen.value()),
             (
                 "r3k2r/1pq2pbp/6p1/p2Qpb2/1N6/2P3P1/PB2PPBP/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 14",
                 "e5",
                 0,
             ),
+            (
+                "r3k2r/1pq2pbp/6p1/p3p3/P5b1/2P3P1/1BN1PPBP/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 14",
+                "e2",
+                0,
+            ),
         ];
 
         for (fen, dest, expected) in test_cases {
diff --git a/src/movegen.rs b/src/movegen.rs
index 612bb34..3ae2ac7 100644
--- a/src/movegen.rs
+++ b/src/movegen.rs
@@ -1667,25 +1667,23 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_capture_movegen() {
-        let test_cases = [(
-            // fen
-            "8/3q4/5N2/8/8/8/8/3K4 w - - 0 1",
-            // expected moves generated
-            "f6d7",
-        ),
-        (
-            "8/8/8/3pP3/2K5/8/8/8 w - d6 0 1",
-            // holy hell
-            "e5d6 c4d5",
-        ),
-        (
-            "8/2q5/3K4/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1",
-            "d6c7",
-        ),
-        (
-            "2Q5/3r2R1/2B1PN2/8/3K4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1",
-            "c6d7 e6d7 c8d7 f6d7 g7d7",
-        ),
+        let test_cases = [
+            (
+                // fen
+                "8/3q4/5N2/8/8/8/8/3K4 w - - 0 1",
+                // expected moves generated
+                "f6d7",
+            ),
+            (
+                "8/8/8/3pP3/2K5/8/8/8 w - d6 0 1",
+                // holy hell
+                "e5d6 c4d5",
+            ),
+            ("8/2q5/3K4/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1", "d6c7"),
+            (
+                "2Q5/3r2R1/2B1PN2/8/3K4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1",
+                "c6d7 e6d7 c8d7 f6d7 g7d7",
+            ),
         ];
 
         for (fen, expected) in test_cases {
diff --git a/src/prelude.rs b/src/prelude.rs
index c57bbbe..d9831e8 100644
--- a/src/prelude.rs
+++ b/src/prelude.rs
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ pub use crate::search::{
     best_line, best_move, EngineState, SearchConfig, SearchEval, TimeLimits, TranspositionTable,
 };
 pub use crate::{
-    Board, ColPiece, Color, Piece, BOARD_HEIGHT, BOARD_WIDTH, N_COLORS, N_PIECES, N_SQUARES, Square,
+    Board, ColPiece, Color, Piece, Square, BOARD_HEIGHT, BOARD_WIDTH, N_COLORS, N_PIECES, N_SQUARES,
 };
diff --git a/src/search.rs b/src/search.rs
index c027e04..dd0ee89 100644
--- a/src/search.rs
+++ b/src/search.rs
@@ -122,9 +122,8 @@ impl Default for SearchConfig {
     fn default() -> Self {
         SearchConfig {
             alpha_beta_on: true,
-            // try to make this even to be more conservative and avoid horizon problem
             depth: 10,
-            qdepth: 2,
+            qdepth: 4,
             enable_trans_table: true,
             transposition_size: 24,
         }
@@ -209,13 +208,20 @@ fn minmax(board: &mut Board, state: &mut EngineState, mm: MinmaxState) -> (Vec<M
         }
     }
 
+    // quiescence stand-pat score (only calculated if needed).
+    // this is where static eval goes.
+    let mut board_eval: Option<EvalInt> = None;
+
+    if mm.quiesce {
+        board_eval = Some(board.eval() * EvalInt::from(board.turn.sign()));
+    }
+
     if mm.depth == 0 {
-        if mm.quiesce || board.recap_sq.is_none() {
-            // if we're done with quiescence, static eval.
-            // if there is no capture, skip straight to static eval.
-            let eval = board.eval() * EvalInt::from(board.turn.sign());
-            return (Vec::new(), SearchEval::Exact(eval));
+        if mm.quiesce {
+            // we hit the limit on quiescence depth
+            return (Vec::new(), SearchEval::Exact(board_eval.unwrap()));
         } else {
+            // enter quiescence search
             return minmax(
                 board,
                 state,
@@ -261,11 +267,15 @@ fn minmax(board: &mut Board, state: &mut EngineState, mm: MinmaxState) -> (Vec<M
     mvs.sort_unstable_by_key(|mv| -mv.0);
 
     let mut abs_best = SearchEval::Exact(EVAL_WORST);
+
+    if mm.quiesce {
+        // stand pat
+        abs_best = SearchEval::Exact(board_eval.unwrap());
+    }
+
     let mut best_move: Option<Move> = None;
     let mut best_continuation: Vec<Move> = Vec::new();
 
-    let n_non_qmoves = mvs.len();
-
     // determine moves that are allowed in quiescence
     if mm.quiesce {
         // use static exchange evaluation to prune moves
@@ -276,7 +286,11 @@ fn minmax(board: &mut Board, state: &mut EngineState, mm: MinmaxState) -> (Vec<M
         });
     }
 
-    if n_non_qmoves == 0 {
+    if mvs.is_empty() {
+        if mm.quiesce {
+            // use stand pat
+            return (Vec::new(), SearchEval::Exact(board_eval.unwrap()));
+        }
         let is_in_check = board.is_check(board.turn);
 
         if is_in_check {
@@ -285,10 +299,6 @@ fn minmax(board: &mut Board, state: &mut EngineState, mm: MinmaxState) -> (Vec<M
             // stalemate
             return (Vec::new(), SearchEval::Exact(0));
         }
-    } else if mvs.is_empty() {
-        // pruned all the moves due to quiescence
-        let eval = board.eval() * EvalInt::from(board.turn.sign());
-        return (Vec::new(), SearchEval::Exact(eval));
     }
 
     for (_priority, mv) in mvs {