+ return nb_pawns_reversed;
+}
+
+/* loop optimized version of valid_shot changing nothing to the pawns 2D array */
+static bool is_legal_shot(int y, int x, unsigned int current_player, unsigned int pawn_array[board_size][board_size]) {
+ unsigned int nb_pawns_reversed = 0;
+
+ if (!is_valid_coordinates(y, x) || !is_box_type(y, x, pawn_array, empty)) {
+ return false;
+ }
+
+ for (unsigned int direction = north; direction <= north_west; direction++) {
+ nb_pawns_reversed += reverse_one_direction(y, x, direction, current_player, pawn_array, true);
+ if (nb_pawns_reversed > 0) {
+ return true;
+ }
+ }