10bb Resteal

Overview

The 10bb resteal is a poker strategy used to counter a steal attempt by a short-stacked opponent (approximately 10 big blinds). When a player is in the small blind or big blind with around 10bb and faces a raise (typically perceived as a steal), they fight back by going all-in or re-raising. The goal is to take down the pot immediately or force the opponent to fold.

Strategy Principles

• Stack Depth: 10bb falls into the short stack range. At this stack depth, a player's range is usually narrow, but a resteal raise (e.g., all-in) carries strong deterrent power because the opponent, if they call, will be out of position post-flop and face significant risk.
• Steal Detection: When an opponent raises from a late position such as the button, small blind, or cutoff, especially with a small raise size (e.g., 2–2.5bb), it is often considered a steal. The 10bb resteal exploits this by applying stack pressure to force a fold.
• Range Selection: A typical restealing range includes medium-strength pairs (e.g., 77+), ace-high hands (e.g., A7s+, ATo+), and some suited connectors (e.g., KJs, QJs). The exact range depends on opponent tendencies and pot odds.

Typical Example

• Blind Level: 1/2. You are in the big blind with 8 chips (10bb). The button opens to 4, and everyone else folds. You hold A9o and decide to shove for 16. The button is likely to fold marginal hands (e.g., KTo), giving you the pot directly. If they call, you still have about 40% equity.

Notes

• Opponent Type: The resteal is more effective against aggressive players who frequently steal. Against tight-passive players, it should be used cautiously.
• Stack Size: If your own stack is less than 10bb, the fold equity of a resteal decreases. If it exceeds 12bb, a resteal shove may be less efficient, and a standard 3-bet is usually considered.
• Position: Restealing from the small blind requires extra caution because you will be out of position post-flop.

Related Terms

• Steal: A raise from a late position with a very wide range, aiming to take the blinds uncontested.
• Re-steal: A re-raise from the blinds in response to a steal attempt.
• 3-bet: The second raise pre-flop; a resteal is a type of 3-bet.