We discuss some of the recommended blackjack strategies to use when the dealer shows a nine, so you’ll be better equipped to think on your feet next time the dealer shows a nine on the blackjack tables.
Best online blackjack casinos
It can be a daunting feeling when playing blackjack and the dealers face-up card shows a nine. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a natural blackjack, all it takes is the dealers down card to be an ace, 10 or face card and chances are they’ll have a better hand than you.
Note that the following tips are based on a standard blackjack game using between four and eight decks of cards where the dealer stands on soft 17.
Hard hand strategy
A hard hand in blackjack is one where you have no ace card, or you have an ace that can only count as one point without going bust. When you have a hard hand and the dealer shows a face-up nine card, the following basic strategy is recommended:
- Your hand is valued at 16 or lower = hit
- Your hand is valued at 10 or 11 = double down if allowed, otherwise hit
- Your hand is valued at 17 or higher = stand
- Your hand is valued at 16 = surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
Soft hand strategy
A soft hand in blackjack consists of an ace that can be used as one point or 11 points. When you have a soft hand and the dealer shows a face-up nine card, the following basic strategy is recommended:
- Your hand is valued at 18 or lower = hit
- Your hand is valued at 19 or higher = stand
Commonly misplayed hands when dealer shows a nine
One of the most commonly misplayed hands in blackjack is a soft 18. Basic blackjack strategy says you should always stand on a hand of 18 no matter what, but this doesn’t apply if you have a soft 18 and the dealer shows a nine, 10 or ace. While standing on soft 18 seems like your safest bet, the reality is your 18 will rarely win if the dealer has a face-up card of nine. With a soft 18, you don’t face the chance of busting, so you should always hit for the chance of improving your hand and increasing your chance of winning.
Splitting pairs on a dealer’s nine
As mentioned above, most players tend to stand on a soft 18. However, if that hand of 18 is made up of a pair of nines and the dealers up-card is a nine, optimal blackjack strategy recommends to split your pair of nines.
The basis of this recommendation is that with two single hands starting with a nine, you put yourself in a pretty solid position, with the possibility of either of your split hands receiving an ace, 10, face or additional nine card improving your chances of a solid win. Of course, there is the risk that you receive a lower valued card and weaken your hand, but generally a soft 18 can be dubious anyway, so splitting nines will improve your odds on average.
Where to test your blackjack strategy online
One of the major benefits of playing blackjack online is that Web casinos offer the option of sampling their blackjack games for free in practice mode. This means you’ve got all the time in the world to put your blackjack strategy to the test, trying out different moves to hone your skills and see what you think works best for you. There’s no risk to your wallet and you don’t even need to download anything, as our recommended casinos offer blackjack for instant-play directly over your Web browser.
We recommend the following leading casinos to international players to sharpen your blackjack strategy and test for yourself what to do when the dealer shows a nine. If you decide to play for real money, these secure casinos offer plenty of instant deposit options using your local currency, along with some fabulous welcome bonuses for new players:
1/ G’day Casino
3/ Guts Casino
These online casinos offer multiple variants of blackjack, so you can test your strategy using the rules of classic blackjack above, or see how things pan out when trying a different variation of 21.