The dealer's rule of whether they stand or hit on a soft 17 affects the player's strategy by influencing how aggressively they should play. When the dealer stands on soft 17, the game tends to favor the player slightly more because the dealer cannot improve their hand. In this case, players can be more conservative, standing on marginal hands and doubling down in favorable situations. On the other hand, when the dealer hits on soft 17, they have a better chance of improving their hand, which increases the house edge slightly. This forces players to be more aggressive, particularly when holding weaker hands like 15 or 16, as they may need to hit more often to avoid losing to a stronger dealer hand. In essence, the dealer's rule impacts the player's risk-taking, with hitting on soft 17 prompting more caution and strategic adjustments.