diff --git a/include/ironphoenix/search.hpp b/include/ironphoenix/search.hpp
index 0604b00..e4cdf0d 100644
--- a/include/ironphoenix/search.hpp
+++ b/include/ironphoenix/search.hpp
@@ -33,6 +33,29 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
         std::array<std::int64_t, COLOR_NB> delayMs{};
     };
 
+    // Per-ply search state. HistoryContext remains the base so the existing
+    // history/countermove interfaces can consume stack entries directly.
+    // The evaluation fields are used to compare the current player with the
+    // same player's position one complete 4PC turn cycle (four plies) ago.
+    struct SearchStackEntry : HistoryContext {
+        int staticEval = 0;
+        int improvementRate = 0;
+        bool improving = false;
+
+        constexpr SearchStackEntry() noexcept = default;
+
+        constexpr SearchStackEntry(const HistoryContext& context) noexcept
+            : HistoryContext(context) {}
+
+        constexpr SearchStackEntry& operator=(const HistoryContext& context) noexcept {
+            static_cast<HistoryContext&>(*this) = context;
+            staticEval = 0;
+            improvementRate = 0;
+            improving = false;
+            return *this;
+        }
+    };
+
     class SearchEngine {
     public:
         static constexpr int MAX_MULTI_PV = 32;
@@ -79,7 +102,7 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
 
         std::array<std::array<Move, MAX_PLY>, MAX_PLY> pv_{};
         std::array<int, MAX_PLY> pvLength_{};
-        std::array<HistoryContext, MAX_PLY> searchStack_{};
+        std::array<SearchStackEntry, MAX_PLY> searchStack_{};
         mutable std::mutex outputMutex_;
 
         void run(Position position, std::ostream& out);
diff --git a/src/multipv.cpp b/src/multipv.cpp
index e8548dc..8ff1405 100644
--- a/src/multipv.cpp
+++ b/src/multipv.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ void SearchEngine::runMultiPV(Position position, int multiPV, std::ostream& out)
     for (auto& row : pv_)
         row.fill(Move{});
     pvLength_.fill(0);
-    searchStack_.fill(HistoryContext{});
+    searchStack_.fill(SearchStackEntry{});
 
     MoveList rootLegal;
     generateLegalMoves(position, rootLegal);
diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
index ee7ac6c..74e0058 100644
--- a/src/search.cpp
+++ b/src/search.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
         constexpr int QSEARCH_SEE_THRESHOLD = -50;
 
         constexpr int LMP_HISTORY_THRESHOLD = 2'000;
+        constexpr int IMPROVING_MARGIN = 25;
+        constexpr int WORSENING_MARGIN = -100;
 
         IRONPHOENIX_FORCE_INLINE Bitboard teamOccupancy(const Position& pos, Color c) noexcept {
             const Color partner = static_cast<Color>(static_cast<unsigned>(c) ^ 2u);
@@ -416,6 +418,27 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
 
         const bool inCheckNode = pos.inCheck();
 
+        // In 4PC, compare against four plies ago so the static evaluation is
+        // measured from the same player's perspective after a complete turn
+        // cycle. A small positive margin prevents evaluation noise from
+        // constantly toggling the improving flag.
+        SearchStackEntry& ss = searchStack_[ply];
+        ss.staticEval = evaluate(pos);
+        ss.improvementRate = 0;
+        ss.improving = false;
+
+        if (ply >= 4) {
+            ss.improvementRate = ss.staticEval - searchStack_[ply - 4].staticEval;
+            ss.improving = ss.improvementRate > IMPROVING_MARGIN;
+        }
+
+        int lmpMoveLimit = 3 + depth * depth;
+        if (ss.improving)
+            lmpMoveLimit += 2 + depth;
+        else if (ss.improvementRate < WORSENING_MARGIN)
+            lmpMoveLimit -= 1 + depth / 2;
+        lmpMoveLimit = std::max(3, lmpMoveLimit);
+
         MoveList moves;
         generatePseudoLegalMoves(pos, moves);
         orderMoves(pos, moves.begin(), moves.end(), ttMove, ply);
@@ -448,11 +471,13 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
 
             // Late Move Pruning (LMP): at non-PV nodes, stop spending search
             // effort on late quiet moves unless history says the move is
-            // promising. Checks, TT moves, promotions/captures, and mate-window
-            // searches are never pruned here. This intentionally has no depth cap.
+            // promising. Improving positions search more quiet moves before
+            // pruning; strongly worsening positions prune a little earlier.
+            // Checks, TT moves, promotions/captures, and mate-window searches
+            // are never pruned here. This intentionally has no depth cap.
             if (!pvNode
                 && !inCheckNode
-                && legalMoves >= 3 + depth * depth
+                && legalMoves >= lmpMoveLimit
                 && quiet
                 && move != ttMove
                 && !givesCheckMove
@@ -659,7 +684,7 @@ namespace ironphoenix {
         for (auto& row : pv_)
             row.fill(Move{});
         pvLength_.fill(0);
-        searchStack_.fill(HistoryContext{});
+        searchStack_.fill(SearchStackEntry{});
 
         MoveList rootLegal;
         generateLegalMoves(position, rootLegal);