diff --git a/src/chess.c b/src/chess.c
index 94d92cc..f895c53 100644
--- a/src/chess.c
+++ b/src/chess.c
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
 bool init_board(board_t *board) {
-    
+    for (int i = 0; i < BOARD_VERTICAL; i++) {
+        for (int j = 0; j < BOARD_HORIZONTAL; j++) {
+            *board[i][j] = BOARD_DEFAULT_CONFIG[i][j];
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void select_player(player_e *player, unsigned int round_count) {
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@ bool is_move_in_bounds(move_t move) {
 
 bool get_move(move_t *move) {
     clear_stdin();
-    
+
     char _x_from, _x_to;
     int _y_from, _y_to;
     scanf("%c%d %c%d", 
diff --git a/src/chess.h b/src/chess.h
index 3fb1f91..01afab9 100644
--- a/src/chess.h
+++ b/src/chess.h
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ typedef struct {
 
 // the default arrangment of pieces on the board
 #define BOARD_DEFAULT_CONFIG \
-{\
-    {2,3,4,5,6,4,3,2}\
-    {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1}\
-    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}\
-    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}\
-    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}\
-    {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1}\
+(board_t){\
+    {2,3,4,5,6,4,3,2},\
+    {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1},\
+    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0},\
+    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0},\
+    {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0},\
+    {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1},\
     {2,3,4,5,6,4,3,2}\
 }