Definitions for "Stiff hand"
Keywords:  bust, sixteen, blackjack, pat, twelve
a name that describe a hand that has little chances for winning such as a hand with a total of 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. These are likely to bust if the player would hit, but they might still lose to the dealer's hand otherwise.
Any hand that could potentially go bust if drawn to. The stiff hands are hard totals of 12 through 16. If the dealer has an upcard of 2 through 6 this is also considered a stiff hand since we always assume a 10-value card in the hole.
A two-card total of 12 through 16 in the game of blackjack which is vulnerable to breaking if the hand is hit.