diff --git a/.beans/nuzlocke-tracker-66hg--auto-select-boss-team-variant-based-on-starter-cho.md b/.beans/nuzlocke-tracker-66hg--auto-select-boss-team-variant-based-on-starter-cho.md
index 474b122..ef6f2c0 100644
--- a/.beans/nuzlocke-tracker-66hg--auto-select-boss-team-variant-based-on-starter-cho.md
+++ b/.beans/nuzlocke-tracker-66hg--auto-select-boss-team-variant-based-on-starter-cho.md
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 ---
 # nuzlocke-tracker-66hg
 title: Auto-select boss team variant based on starter choice
-status: draft
+status: in-progress
 type: feature
+priority: normal
 created_at: 2026-02-08T20:21:40Z
-updated_at: 2026-02-08T20:21:40Z
+updated_at: 2026-02-08T20:22:47Z
 ---
 
 When a run's starter Pokemon is known, automatically match it against boss battle condition labels (e.g., "Chose Bulbasaur") and pre-select the matching variant instead of showing the pill selector.
@@ -28,9 +29,9 @@ Currently, bosses with variant teams (condition_label) display a pill selector o
 
 ## Checklist
 
-- [ ] Determine how the starter Pokemon is stored/accessible from the run data
-- [ ] Add matching logic to find the right variant from condition labels
-- [ ] Update BossDefeatModal to auto-select and hide pills when starter matches
-- [ ] Update BossTeamPreview in RunEncounters with same logic
+- [x] Determine how the starter Pokemon is stored/accessible from the run data
+- [x] Add matching logic to find the right variant from condition labels
+- [x] Update BossDefeatModal to auto-select and hide pills when starter matches
+- [x] Update BossTeamPreview in RunEncounters with same logic
 - [ ] Test with variant bosses where starter matches a condition
 - [ ] Test fallback behavior when no starter is set or no match found
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/BossDefeatModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/BossDefeatModal.tsx
index 1231ab3..66856b3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/BossDefeatModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/BossDefeatModal.tsx
@@ -7,9 +7,17 @@ interface BossDefeatModalProps {
   onClose: () => void
   isPending?: boolean
   hardcoreMode?: boolean
+  starterName?: string | null
 }
 
-export function BossDefeatModal({ boss, onSubmit, onClose, isPending, hardcoreMode }: BossDefeatModalProps) {
+function matchVariant(labels: string[], starterName?: string | null): string | null {
+  if (!starterName || labels.length === 0) return null
+  const lower = starterName.toLowerCase()
+  const matches = labels.filter((l) => l.toLowerCase().includes(lower))
+  return matches.length === 1 ? matches[0] : null
+}
+
+export function BossDefeatModal({ boss, onSubmit, onClose, isPending, hardcoreMode, starterName }: BossDefeatModalProps) {
   const [result, setResult] = useState<'won' | 'lost'>('won')
   const [attempts, setAttempts] = useState('1')
 
@@ -22,8 +30,10 @@ export function BossDefeatModal({ boss, onSubmit, onClose, isPending, hardcoreMo
   }, [boss.pokemon])
 
   const hasVariants = variantLabels.length > 0
+  const autoMatch = useMemo(() => matchVariant(variantLabels, starterName), [variantLabels, starterName])
+  const showPills = hasVariants && autoMatch === null
   const [selectedVariant, setSelectedVariant] = useState<string | null>(
-    hasVariants ? variantLabels[0] : null,
+    autoMatch ?? (hasVariants ? variantLabels[0] : null),
   )
 
   const displayedPokemon = useMemo(() => {
@@ -54,7 +64,7 @@ export function BossDefeatModal({ boss, onSubmit, onClose, isPending, hardcoreMo
         {/* Boss team preview */}
         {boss.pokemon.length > 0 && (
           <div className="px-6 py-3 border-b border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700">
-            {hasVariants && (
+            {showPills && (
               <div className="flex gap-1 mb-2 flex-wrap">
                 {variantLabels.map((label) => (
                   <button
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/RunEncounters.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/RunEncounters.tsx
index 9b7094b..3cd6331 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/RunEncounters.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/RunEncounters.tsx
@@ -146,7 +146,14 @@ function countDistinctZones(group: RouteWithChildren): number {
   return zones.size
 }
 
-function BossTeamPreview({ pokemon }: { pokemon: BossPokemon[] }) {
+function matchVariant(labels: string[], starterName?: string | null): string | null {
+  if (!starterName || labels.length === 0) return null
+  const lower = starterName.toLowerCase()
+  const matches = labels.filter((l) => l.toLowerCase().includes(lower))
+  return matches.length === 1 ? matches[0] : null
+}
+
+function BossTeamPreview({ pokemon, starterName }: { pokemon: BossPokemon[]; starterName?: string | null }) {
   const variantLabels = useMemo(() => {
     const labels = new Set<string>()
     for (const bp of pokemon) {
@@ -156,8 +163,10 @@ function BossTeamPreview({ pokemon }: { pokemon: BossPokemon[] }) {
   }, [pokemon])
 
   const hasVariants = variantLabels.length > 0
+  const autoMatch = useMemo(() => matchVariant(variantLabels, starterName), [variantLabels, starterName])
+  const showPills = hasVariants && autoMatch === null
   const [selectedVariant, setSelectedVariant] = useState<string | null>(
-    hasVariants ? variantLabels[0] : null,
+    autoMatch ?? (hasVariants ? variantLabels[0] : null),
   )
 
   const displayed = useMemo(() => {
@@ -169,7 +178,7 @@ function BossTeamPreview({ pokemon }: { pokemon: BossPokemon[] }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="mt-2">
-      {hasVariants && (
+      {showPills && (
         <div className="flex gap-1 mb-2 flex-wrap">
           {variantLabels.map((label) => (
             <button
@@ -492,6 +501,22 @@ export function RunEncounters() {
     return duped.size > 0 ? duped : undefined
   }, [run, normalEncounters, familiesData])
 
+  // Find starter Pokemon name for auto-matching variant boss teams
+  // Note: enc.route from the run detail doesn't include encounterMethods
+  // (it's computed only in the game routes endpoint), so we look up the
+  // route from the separately-fetched routes data instead.
+  const starterName = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!routes) return null
+    const routeMap = new Map(routes.map((r) => [r.id, r]))
+    for (const enc of normalEncounters) {
+      const route = routeMap.get(enc.routeId)
+      if (route?.encounterMethods.includes('starter')) {
+        return enc.pokemon.name
+      }
+    }
+    return null
+  }, [normalEncounters, routes])
+
   // Boss battle data
   const defeatedBossIds = useMemo(() => {
     const set = new Set<number>()
@@ -1186,7 +1211,7 @@ export function RunEncounters() {
                     </div>
                     {/* Boss pokemon team */}
                     {isBossExpanded && boss.pokemon.length > 0 && (
-                      <BossTeamPreview pokemon={boss.pokemon} />
+                      <BossTeamPreview pokemon={boss.pokemon} starterName={starterName} />
                     )}
                     </div>
                     {sectionAfter && (
@@ -1259,6 +1284,7 @@ export function RunEncounters() {
           onClose={() => setSelectedBoss(null)}
           isPending={createBossResult.isPending}
           hardcoreMode={run?.rules?.hardcoreMode}
+          starterName={starterName}
         />
       )}