What does RFI mean in poker?
RFI stands for "raise first in": opening the pot with a raise when everyone before you has folded. Your RFI range is the set of hands you open from a given seat, and it widens as you move toward the button.
Why it matters
RFI ranges are the foundation of preflop play. Every later decision — 3-bets, calls, c-bets — is built on the assumption that you and your opponents open a sensible set of hands from each seat. Open too wide from early position and you spend the rest of the hand out of position with dominated hands; open too tight from the button and you leave the blinds' money on the table.
The shape is what matters, not memorizing 169 cells: all pairs, suited aces, and broadways from early position, then progressively weaker suited connectors and offsuit broadways as you get closer to the button.
The numbers
- In HoldemPro's 6-max 100bb charts, UTG opens 24.1% of hands, MP 30.9%, the cutoff 38.1%, the button 53.2%, and the small blind 45.0%.
- The button opens roughly 2.2× as many hands as UTG.
Figures come from the same preflop charts and research data the rest of the site uses (charts last updated July 5, 2026); they change when that data does.
Every open-raise and defense range by position, 6-max 100bb, with the frequencies below.
You play 35%+ of hands, including weak offsuit hands out of position. Lots of trouble spots postflop.
Common questions
What is a good RFI percentage?
It depends entirely on seat. In 6-max, roughly 24% from UTG rising to about 53% from the button is the solver-derived baseline. A single overall "RFI %" is only meaningful as a position-weighted average.
Is RFI the same as open-raising?
Yes. RFI, open, and open-raise all describe the first voluntary raise in an unopened pot. The term RFI is the one used in charts and tracking software.
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