When using Linq To SQL, here’s the pattern I use to retry an operation after it failed because a deadlock occurred in a SQL Database:

while (true) {
    try {
        using (var scope = new TransactionScope()) {
            using (var db = new MyDataContext()) {

                // Do what you need to do on the DB...

                db.SubmitChanges();
            }
            scope.Complete();
        }

        break;
    }
    catch (SqlException e) {
        if (e.Number == 1205) {
            Thread.Sleep(new Random.Next(1000));
        }
        else {
            throw;
        }
    }
}