The nines in cartomancy with playing cards are associated with the idea of wishes and hopes.

The Nine of Hearts is, as in many other systems, the wish card. It represents realization, fulfillment, sincerity of heart and, in general, things going as we wish them to go. It’s a positive card in most instances, as it has the power to alleviate the negative import of other cards that precede it.

The Nine of Clubs represents distance. It is a neutral card that represents things of long duration, long waits and delays, matters slowing down. It can also relate to physical distance. Generally, it shows the separation between what what we want and us. It’s the long road ahead.

If the Nine of Clubs is the road, the Nine of Diamonds is making progress on that road, and advancement in general. It is an extremely positive card, showing improvement, recognition, increase, fame, even. It represents other people’s views and expectations concerning the querent, if he has a good name or not, etc. By itself, it shows a good name. It is symbolic of career.

The Nine of Spades is notoriously the worst card in the deck, and some call it the wish denied card. If the Nine of Hearts shows things going as we wish them to go, the Nine of Spades mean things going against our wish. As a further consequence, it signifies things happening that we don’t want to happen, and against which we are relatively powerless.