StateInfo is usually allocated on the stack by search()

And passed in do_move(), this ensures maximum efficiency and
speed and at the same time unlimited move numbers.

The draw back is that to handle Position init we need to
reserve a StateInfo inside Position itself and use at
init time and when copying from another Position.

After lazy SMP we don't need anymore this gimmick and we can
get rid of this special case and always pass an external
StateInfo to Position object.

Also rewritten and simplified Position constructors.

Verified it does not regress with a 3 threads SMP test:
ELO: -0.00 +-12.7 (95%) LOS: 50.0%
Total: 1000 W: 173 L: 173 D: 654

No functional change.

src/position.cpp

@@ -155,42 +155,11 @@ void Position::init() {
 }
 
 
-/// Position::operator=() creates a copy of 'pos' but detaching the state pointer
-/// from the source to be self-consistent and not depending on any external data.
-
-Position& Position::operator=(const Position& pos) {
-
-  std::memcpy(this, &pos, sizeof(Position));
-  std::memcpy(&startState, st, sizeof(StateInfo));
-  st = &startState;
-  nodes = 0;
-
-  assert(pos_is_ok());
-
-  return *this;
-}
-
-
-/// Position::clear() erases the position object to a pristine state, with an
-/// empty board, white to move, and no castling rights.
-
-void Position::clear() {
-
-  std::memset(this, 0, sizeof(Position));
-  startState.epSquare = SQ_NONE;
-  st = &startState;
-
-  for (int i = 0; i < PIECE_TYPE_NB; ++i)
-      for (int j = 0; j < 16; ++j)
-          pieceList[WHITE][i][j] = pieceList[BLACK][i][j] = SQ_NONE;
-}
-
-
 /// Position::set() initializes the position object with the given FEN string.
 /// This function is not very robust - make sure that input FENs are correct,
 /// this is assumed to be the responsibility of the GUI.
 
-void Position::set(const string& fenStr, bool isChess960, Thread* th) {
+Position& Position::set(const string& fenStr, bool isChess960, StateInfo* si, Thread* th) {
 /*
    A FEN string defines a particular position using only the ASCII character set.
 
@@ -230,7 +199,11 @@ void Position::set(const string& fenStr, bool isChess960, Thread* th) {
   Square sq = SQ_A8;
   std::istringstream ss(fenStr);
 
-  clear();
+  std::memset(this, 0, sizeof(Position));
+  std::memset(si, 0, sizeof(StateInfo));
+  std::fill_n(&pieceList[0][0][0], sizeof(pieceList) / sizeof(Square), SQ_NONE);
+  st = si;
+
   ss >> std::noskipws;
 
   // 1. Piece placement
@@ -291,6 +264,8 @@ void Position::set(const string& fenStr, bool isChess960, Thread* th) {
       if (!(attackers_to(st->epSquare) & pieces(sideToMove, PAWN)))
           st->epSquare = SQ_NONE;
   }
+  else
+      st->epSquare = SQ_NONE;
 
   // 5-6. Halfmove clock and fullmove number
   ss >> std::skipws >> st->rule50 >> gamePly;
@@ -304,6 +279,8 @@ void Position::set(const string& fenStr, bool isChess960, Thread* th) {
   set_state(st);
 
   assert(pos_is_ok());
+
+  return *this;
 }
 
 
@@ -1108,7 +1085,7 @@ void Position::flip() {
   std::getline(ss, token); // Half and full moves
   f += token;
 
-  set(f, is_chess960(), this_thread());
+  set(f, is_chess960(), st, this_thread());
 
   assert(pos_is_ok());
 }