The term RFI stands for raise-first-in , which refers to a scenario where action has folded to us before the flop, allowing us to make the initial raise. By doing this, we are the first player to voluntarily contribute to the pot.
This guide will outline RFI strategies specifically tailored for No-Limit Hold'em games.
We'll discuss the following relevant topics -
What is RFI?
General Approach to RFI
RFI Frequencies
RFI Charts
- RFI Frequencies
- Raise-First-In Charts
- BTN RFI Chart
- SB RFI Chart
- CO RFI Chart
- HJ (Hijack) RFI Chart
- LJ (Lojack) RFI Chart
- UTG Full Ring Chart
What is RFI?
The acronym RFI means raise-first-in (also known as “ open-raise ”). It indicates a situation where it is folded to us, preflop and we proceed to raise, thus being the first participant to voluntarily engage with the pot.
It's important to recognize that an RFI situation only applies when there are no limpers in front of us. If there are limpers, this scenario should be described as an 'isolation raise' or ' raise When we open-raise, we stand a chance to seize the blinds without contest. Therefore, executing a raise-first-in is generally more advantageous compared to other preflop actions like simply calling. iso-raise ” for short.
General Approach to RFI
New players frequently make the mistake of limping in (just matching the minimum bet) when action folds to them preflop. By doing so, they forfeit the potential of winning the blinds. The first fundamental rule of RFI strategy is clear. cold-calling or limping .
We should always opt to open-raise instead of limping in.
If our hand doesn’t justify an open-raise, it's often better to
) engage in situations where many experienced players might choose to complete the small blind. However, this play serves specific strategic purposes. It’s advisable for beginners to develop the habit of either open-raising or folding from any position when the opportunity arises. fold . The only real exception to this is SB ( small blind The hand ranges we consider for a raise-first-in should vary based on our seat at the table. Being in later positions grants us greater profit potential and the ability to open-raise more liberally.
at a poker table, including suggested frequencies for raise-first-in.
RFI Frequencies
The range This table provides approximate frequencies for both full-ring and short-handed (6-max) situations.
The following table shows each position On a 6-max table, the earliest position is referred to as the “
| Position at the Table | RFI Frequency |
| SB | 36% |
| BTN | 48% |
| CO | 27% |
| Hijack | 18% |
| Lojack | 13% |
| MP | 11% |
| UTG+2 | 9.5% |
| UTG+1 | 8% |
| UTG | 7% |
” but is commonly known as “ cash games ” in short-handed contexts. lojack As illustrated, the later the position, the more frequently we can open-raise—except in one case: the small blind. What makes the SB's open-raise frequency less aggressive than that of the UTG It's simply because the button (BTN) player always has positional advantage,
while the small blind (SB) is at a disadvantage BTN ?
after the flop. Thus, the BTN is the prime seat for opening a broad range of hands. postflop Understanding the frequencies for each position is one thing, but how does this translate into actual hands or out-of-position ? The upcoming charts represent a rough approximation of genuine RFI ranges following the frequencies indicated in the earlier table.
Raise-First-In Charts
This chart illustrates approximately the top 48% of holdings. It’s impossible to provide an exact definition of this top 48% since it’s based on our method of hand ranking. hand-ranges For instance, one could achieve 48% of hands when prioritizing high cards, or 48% by focusing on speculative hands like suited connectors or gaps.
BTN RFI Chart
This proportion will depend partly on personal preference and partly on the tendencies of our opponents.
Many players tend to open significantly wider than 48% on a consistent basis; we’ll address the reasons behind this in the section on stealing from the button.
The SB chart highlights approximately the top 36% of holdings, but many skilled players usually open wider. We’ll explore the motivations behind this in the SB stealing section.
The CO chart showcases around the top 27% of hands. It’s fairly uncommon for a competent player to diverge considerably from this, although their RFI aggression might slightly rise when there are favorable opportunities in the blinds.
SB RFI Chart
The HJ chart presents about the top 18% of holdings. Positioned immediately to the right of the CO, it is frequently called “
CO RFI Chart
The LJ chart indicates roughly the top 13% of holdings. This position is located two places to the right of the CO and is often referred to as “UTG” by short-handed players, as it is the first significant position on the table.
HJ (Hijack) RFI Chart
Next, we look at the earliest position in a middle-position ” by short-handed players.
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LJ (Lojack) RFI Chart
which signifies about the top 7%. The positions in between here and the Lojack will be similar but progressively looser with each subsequent position.
UTG Full Ring Chart
RFI strategies are particularly vital from late positions since we can exploit the weaknesses of blind players who aren't defending appropriately. full ring table In the context of the SB, we specifically search for the following.
SB Stealing
An adversary in the big blind that tends to fold too frequently against SB opening raises.
A player in the big blind who might not necessarily fold too often but tends to make multiple errors postflop, indicating they are a weaker player.
- 1. Excessive Folding – Basic calculations show that if the big blind folds more than 62.5% of the time against a 3bb open from the SB, we can successfully open-raise with any two cards. In such a case, failing to open would be an error, allowing us theoretically to raise with 100% of holdings. If our opponent folds less than this benchmark but is still over 50%, we can start broadening our SB open-raising strategy beyond the standard 36%, even if we don’t raise every hand.
- 2. Subpar Opponents – The standard 36% SB open-raising guideline is meant for use against competent opponents. In the presence of weaker players, we can profitably use broader hand ranges. Therefore, we should aim to open-raise more dynamically if a weak player is in the big blind.
RFI ranges on the button can be significantly widened, depending on the opposing players in the blinds.
Similar to the SB stealing situation, we are looking for two main things.
BTN Stealing
Blind players who fold too often.
1. Blinds Who Fold Excessively – Analysing the numbers indicates that if the blinds fold (collectively) over 67% of the time against a 3bb open-raise, we can comfortably open with any two cards. The figures are dependent on the raise size
- we utilize. For instance, if we drop our sizing to 2bb, we can raise with any two cards if our opponent folds over 59%.
- Weak players in the blinds.
2. Inept Players in the Blinds – The 48% standard open-raising strategy relies on facing regular strong opponents in the blinds. If our rivals are making significant mistakes after the flop, this opens the door for us to broaden our button open-raising range. sizing Whenever we execute an open-raise, it's crucial to have a contingency plan for responding to a
. Although we won't delve into precise defense strategies against 3-bets since that goes beyond the scope of this guide, having a general understanding of how to defend ourselves can be quite beneficial.
Facing a 3bet
1. We should be folding about 60% of the time when encountering a 3-bet. 3-bet According to game theory principles, we should ideally fold less often, but it’s vital to keep in mind that most opponents are less aggressive with their 3-bets than theory suggests. This scenario implies it’s wise to fold the majority of the time when faced with a 3-bet.
2. We should 4-bet our strongest hands purely for value.
The average opponent does not readily fold to 4-bets, partly due to their overly tight 3-betting ranges. Therefore, it makes strategic sense to refrain from any bluffing with 4-bets and instead focus on value unless we have specific reads.
Our RFI bet sizes usually differ depending on whether we are playing online cash games or live cash games. Typically, online players open-raise between 2bb and 3bb, while live players tend to raise larger, usually between 4-5bb.
Players often develop their own systems. For instance: 4bet This particular approach is perfectly valid but doesn’t inherently outperform a method where one opens to 3bb from every position.
RFI Sizings
More critically, in terms of sizing, we must ensure to implement accurate exploitative adjustments . For example, if our opponent is a
, it would not be wise to open-raise AA for 2bb if we can maximize our value by raising it to 5bb.
SB: 2.5bb
BTN: 2bb
CO: 2.2bb
MP: 2.5bb
UTG: 3bb
Conversely, if the players in the blinds fold consistently independently of our sizing, then smaller open-raises will yield better results.
Tournament Play - While the cash game guidelines detailed above might work quite well in tournaments, the optimal RFI strategies for tournament play can shift considerably depending on factors like: calling station HU Cash Games – Numerous professionals open-raise with any two cards from the button at a sizing of 2bb. The consensus is that the theoretically optimal open-raising frequency is, in fact, tighter than this, potentially around 70%.
Highly Short-Handed Games – One might question whether the opening strategies differ between button openings in a three-handed game versus a full-ring table. Although our strategies should draw similarities, we should typically turbocharge our button opening frequency in a three-handed game compared to
Tournaments and Other Formats
When action is folded to us in a full-ring game, there are usually more strong cards still in play since the players in earlier positions have discarded weaker cards.
- The effective stacks
- The presence of antes
- ICM considerations
- Structure, blind levels and “M”
We frequently encounter opportunities to raise-first-in, so it’s essential to choose the right types of hands for this. A robust open-raising strategy can significantly enhance our win rate.
The charts provided earlier serve as a solid foundation. They don’t need to be adhered to rigidly, but if our strategy deviates considerably from the outlined guidelines, we risk not optimizing our potential profits. full-ring game.
Why is this the case? Card removal.
Join us as we explore the concept of the RFI (raise-first-in) strategy in No-Limit Texas Hold'em. We'll uncover which hands are suitable for raising and the optimal positions for doing so.
Final Pointers
- Key Factors to Keep in Mind for RFI Strategy in No-Limit Hold’em
- A Comprehensive Guide to RFI Poker (raise-first-in) Strategies
- RFI, which stands for raise-first-in , describes a scenario where the action has been folded to our position before the flop, prompting us to make a raise. This positions us as the initial player voluntarily entering the pot.