diff --git a/fish/src/bot.rs b/fish/src/bot.rs
index 41919aa..4b4ecf9 100644
--- a/fish/src/bot.rs
+++ b/fish/src/bot.rs
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ impl SegmentedAStar {
         let cand = open_set.pop().ok_or(None)?;
         let cand = unsafe { cand.0.as_node() };
 
-        if cand.is_terminal() {
+        if cand.queue().is_empty() || cand.rating().0 {
+            // terminal node; end search and back up its rating
             return Err(Some(cand));
         }
 
@@ -293,7 +294,7 @@ impl SegmentedAStar {
 
     #[cold]
     fn backup(&mut self, cand: &Node) -> bool {
-        if cand.is_better(self.best()) {
+        if cand.rating() > self.best().rating() {
             self.best = cand.into();
             true
         } else {
@@ -302,13 +303,13 @@ impl SegmentedAStar {
     }
 
     fn select(&mut self) {
-        let mut best = None;
+        let mut best = None::<&Node>;
         self.depth = 0;
 
         for (depth, set) in self.open.iter().enumerate() {
             let Some(cand) = set.peek() else { continue };
             let cand = unsafe { cand.0.as_node() };
-            if best.map_or(true, |best| cand.is_better(best)) {
+            if best.map_or(true, |best| cand.rating() > best.rating()) {
                 best = Some(cand);
                 self.depth = depth;
             }
@@ -330,11 +331,8 @@ impl core::cmp::Ord for AStarNode {
     fn cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> core::cmp::Ordering {
         let lhs = unsafe { self.0.as_node() };
         let rhs = unsafe { other.0.as_node() };
-        if lhs.is_better(rhs) {
-            core::cmp::Ordering::Greater
-        } else {
-            core::cmp::Ordering::Less
-        }
+        // TODO: tiebreaker strategy
+        lhs.rating().cmp(&rhs.rating())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/fish/src/bot/node.rs b/fish/src/bot/node.rs
index 0020cfb..52d0d8a 100644
--- a/fish/src/bot/node.rs
+++ b/fish/src/bot/node.rs
@@ -74,16 +74,6 @@ impl Node {
         self.rating
     }
 
-    // TODO: move this function to `bot.algorithm`
-    pub fn is_better(&self, other: &Node) -> bool {
-        self.rating > other.rating
-    }
-
-    // TODO: move this function to `bot.algorithm`
-    pub fn is_terminal(&self) -> bool {
-        self.queue().is_empty() || self.rating.0
-    }
-
     /// Get the initial placement made after the root node which eventually arrives at
     /// this node.
     pub fn root_placement(&self) -> Option<Piece> {