When the dealer shows a 9, the best strategy depends on your hand total. If you have a total of 8 or less, always hit. With 9, double down if possible; if not, hit. For a 10 or 11, also double down if allowed. If your total is 12, hit, as the dealer's 9 offers a good chance of improvement. With a total of 13-16, stand, hoping the dealer will bust. For 17 or higher, always stand.
For soft hands (where an Ace is counted as 11), hit on hands like Ace-2 or Ace-3. With Ace-4 or Ace-5, double down if allowed; otherwise, hit. For Ace-6, double down if possible; otherwise, hit. On Ace-7, stand if you have 17 or higher; if not, hit or double depending on the rules. With Ace-8 or Ace-9, always stand.
If you have pairs, split pairs of 2s, 3s, 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s. For pairs of 5s, double down if possible; otherwise, hit. A pair of 9s is always split, but stand if the dealer has a 9.
The strategy focuses on taking advantage of opportunities to double down when possible and knowing when to stand or hit based on the dealer’s hand.
For soft hands (where an Ace is counted as 11), hit on hands like Ace-2 or Ace-3. With Ace-4 or Ace-5, double down if allowed; otherwise, hit. For Ace-6, double down if possible; otherwise, hit. On Ace-7, stand if you have 17 or higher; if not, hit or double depending on the rules. With Ace-8 or Ace-9, always stand.
If you have pairs, split pairs of 2s, 3s, 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s. For pairs of 5s, double down if possible; otherwise, hit. A pair of 9s is always split, but stand if the dealer has a 9.
The strategy focuses on taking advantage of opportunities to double down when possible and knowing when to stand or hit based on the dealer’s hand.