diff --git a/src/movepick.h b/src/movepick.h
index 141454a8..9a9144d2 100644
--- a/src/movepick.h
+++ b/src/movepick.h
@@ -36,18 +36,16 @@
 template<typename T, int D>
 class StatsEntry {
 
-  static const bool IsInt = std::is_integral<T>::value;
-  typedef typename std::conditional<IsInt, int, T>::type TT;
-
   T entry;
 
 public:
-  T* get() { return &entry; }
   void operator=(const T& v) { entry = v; }
-  operator TT() const { return entry; }
+  T* operator&() { return &entry; }
+  T* operator->() { return &entry; }
+  operator const T&() const { return entry; }
 
   void operator<<(int bonus) {
-    assert(abs(bonus) <= D);   // Ensure range is [-D, D]
+    assert(abs(bonus) <= D); // Ensure range is [-D, D]
     static_assert(D <= std::numeric_limits<T>::max(), "D overflows T");
 
     entry += bonus - entry * abs(bonus) / D;
@@ -64,18 +62,21 @@ public:
 template <typename T, int D, int Size, int... Sizes>
 struct Stats : public std::array<Stats<T, D, Sizes...>, Size>
 {
-  T* get() { return this->at(0).get(); }
+  typedef Stats<T, D, Size, Sizes...> stats;
 
   void fill(const T& v) {
-    T* p = get();
-    std::fill(p, p + sizeof(*this) / sizeof(*p), v);
+
+    // For standard-layout 'this' points to first struct member
+    assert(std::is_standard_layout<stats>::value);
+
+    typedef StatsEntry<T, D> entry;
+    entry* p = reinterpret_cast<entry*>(this);
+    std::fill(p, p + sizeof(*this) / sizeof(entry), v);
   }
 };
 
 template <typename T, int D, int Size>
-struct Stats<T, D, Size> : public std::array<StatsEntry<T, D>, Size> {
-  T* get() { return this->at(0).get(); }
-};
+struct Stats<T, D, Size> : public std::array<StatsEntry<T, D>, Size> {};
 
 /// In stats table, D=0 means that the template parameter is not used
 enum StatsParams { NOT_USED = 0 };
diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
index b4096eba..e36c6959 100644
--- a/src/search.cpp
+++ b/src/search.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ void Thread::search() {
 
   std::memset(ss-4, 0, 7 * sizeof(Stack));
   for (int i = 4; i > 0; i--)
-     (ss-i)->continuationHistory = this->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0].get(); // Use as sentinel
+     (ss-i)->continuationHistory = &this->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0]; // Use as sentinel
 
   bestValue = delta = alpha = -VALUE_INFINITE;
   beta = VALUE_INFINITE;
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ namespace {
 
     (ss+1)->ply = ss->ply + 1;
     ss->currentMove = (ss+1)->excludedMove = bestMove = MOVE_NONE;
-    ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0].get();
+    ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0];
     (ss+2)->killers[0] = (ss+2)->killers[1] = MOVE_NONE;
     Square prevSq = to_sq((ss-1)->currentMove);
 
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ namespace {
         Depth R = ((823 + 67 * depth / ONE_PLY) / 256 + std::min((eval - beta) / PawnValueMg, 3)) * ONE_PLY;
 
         ss->currentMove = MOVE_NULL;
-        ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0].get();
+        ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0];
 
         pos.do_null_move(st);
 
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ namespace {
                 probCutCount++;
 
                 ss->currentMove = move;
-                ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[pos.moved_piece(move)][to_sq(move)].get();
+                ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[pos.moved_piece(move)][to_sq(move)];
 
                 assert(depth >= 5 * ONE_PLY);
 
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ moves_loop: // When in check, search starts from here
 
       // Update the current move (this must be done after singular extension search)
       ss->currentMove = move;
-      ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[movedPiece][to_sq(move)].get();
+      ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[movedPiece][to_sq(move)];
 
       // Step 15. Make the move
       pos.do_move(move, st, givesCheck);
@@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ moves_loop: // When in check, search starts from here
     Thread* thisThread = pos.this_thread();
     (ss+1)->ply = ss->ply + 1;
     ss->currentMove = bestMove = MOVE_NONE;
-    ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0].get();
+    ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0];
     inCheck = pos.checkers();
     moveCount = 0;
 
@@ -1348,7 +1348,7 @@ moves_loop: // When in check, search starts from here
       }
 
       ss->currentMove = move;
-      ss->continuationHistory = thisThread->continuationHistory[pos.moved_piece(move)][to_sq(move)].get();
+      ss->continuationHistory = &thisThread->continuationHistory[pos.moved_piece(move)][to_sq(move)];
 
       // Make and search the move
       pos.do_move(move, st, givesCheck);
diff --git a/src/thread.cpp b/src/thread.cpp
index 8b13f6e3..ed7c5f33 100644
--- a/src/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/thread.cpp
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ void Thread::clear() {
 
   for (auto& to : continuationHistory)
       for (auto& h : to)
-          h.get()->fill(0);
+          h->fill(0);
 
-  continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0].get()->fill(Search::CounterMovePruneThreshold - 1);
+  continuationHistory[NO_PIECE][0]->fill(Search::CounterMovePruneThreshold - 1);
 }
 
 /// Thread::start_searching() wakes up the thread that will start the search