In SNGs, the ever increasing blinds represent just as staunch an enemy for players as their opponents. To avoid what's generally regarded the fool's way to end a SNG - to be blinded out - most players resort to stealing blinds. SNGs concoct a perfect set of circumstances for blinds stealing, therefore it's an obvious tool to resort to. The biggest problem with the steal is that nowadays it has become the norm rather than the exception. Everyone steals everyone else's blinds and at the end of the day, no one benefits. Those who want to preserve an edge need to take things one step further, and this is where the re-stealing of the blinds comes into the picture. Re-stealing is a sneaky way not only to defend your blinds but to punish those who attempt a steal. Given the pressure generated by the blinds as well as the general affinity for blinds stealing, most players will attempt these steals on less than ideal hands. After all, if they only stuck to bullying you out of your blinds when they had legit hands, we wouldn't be talking about stealing, would we? Given the very nature of the steal, most players performing the move are willing to fold when faced with a nasty raise from the BB. They know they don't have much and when faced with a raise, they assume the BB has the goods indeed, so they're in no mood to tangle. It all sounds simple enough doesn't it? Well it isn't.

In order to successfully pull off a re-steal, you need a whole bunch of different factors to click: you have to be faced with a certain type of opponent whom you have to have read fairly well. Your table image has to be the right one, your hand has to be the right one and your timing has to be spot on too. It's not easy to get all these variables to click, but once you get the hang of it, you'll develop a feel for the right situation.

As far as the ideal opponent goes, against whom you should attempt re-stealing: he's an aggressive blinds stealer, a player who is an above average one skill-wise.

Good players know all about the advantages of blinds-stealing, but they're good enough to know that when they get re-raised, they just got caught. They are much more likely to just fold in order to protect their stack which is basically their SNG lifeblood, than a bad player who will feel pot committed and call off 10 BBs without blinking an eye. Good players won't feel pot committed because they'll know they're likely dominated, and when that is indeed the case, one simply cannot be pot-committed.

The main idea behind the re-steal is the fold equity. In order to take full advantage of it, you need to be re-stealing with something more substantial than 7,2o though. Something like 9,10 is enough: after all, you're stealing and not betting for value, but you need something to fall back on in case your opponent decides to make the call.
Don't commit the mistake of playing SNGs without a rakeback deal or better yet, a decent poker prop deal. Rake rebate deals will save you a lot of money on the tournament fees.