Process of getting barred?

So the problem is that I was playing a long session where I was stuck pretty bad. No biggie - not making a living here. A guy sits down in the early part of a shoe, but doesn't bet. He starts commenting on how well I play, and provides a running commentary on the overall play. Next shoe starts, and he doesn't join this time, either. I'm wondering why he doesn't jump in, because there has been almost no paint in at least 3 hands at a full table. I understand counting well enough to know that the shoe is getting really good. Frustratingly, things weren't going well for me, but I persisted in making larger than normal bets (my spread was still only 1 - 3). The next thing I know, the guy walks next to me and asks me "are you counting? Because if you are, the count should be +11 right now. There's only paint left, and you have nothing to be concerned about." I looked at him funny and told him no, I just play as close to basic as I can, and I don't always do that perfectly. I was rather annoyed at the implication, especially because it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that the floor could have heard this.

He went back to his seat, STILL didn't play a hand, but continually said "you guys should be pressing hard here." He left at the end of the shoe.

So was this guy working for the casino, or is he just stupid? Now I'm wondering if I'm going to get barred because of this guy, and quite frankly, would they have told me this before I left? I like to gamble, and I don't want to lose my action.

If you were only spreading 1-3 I doubt you'd get any heat at all, regardless of what this bozo said. Unless it's a phenomenal game you're barely expected to break even anyway (and in a shoe game you're probably playing a losing game).

He might have just been a hustler, looking for a cut of your winnings if you followed his advice. I think you handled it well.

In my first barring many years ago at the AC Sands, a very similar thing happened to me. My guess is he was working for the casino but JD may be right that your bet spread wasn't big enough to cause an immediate barring. It may have just been a warning, though, so you need to be careful. Sort of a catch 22. They'll let you play a losing game (small spread)but if you spread bigger, they may ban you. Since there is no money playing a losing game, I say you need to test the waters and spread bigger (if your bankroll supports that). If it doesn't, you shouldn't be playing yet.

Thanks for the responses. My first instinct was the guy works for the casino, but it really didn't make sense. I don't even know if they employ people to do this. I also commented at one point how he understood the Asian man next to me (spoke almost no English, and he was trying to talk to me). The man informed me that he plays over 3,000 hands a week, so he has a lot of experience.

I wasn't myself - I'm normally a lot more witty and talkative. I was having a lot of trouble with the air pollution and the Asian man was being obnoxious about the match bet by continually trying to get me to play his money on my spot.

At any rate, the other question is any chance this could have been a come-on? I'm female, and my wedding band doesn't fit. I have some trouble with this sort of thing at the poker table, but it is usually more obvious there and I put to rest quickly. I mentioned hubby at one point, and he left immediately after that shoe.
Just wondering.

That could be it. I guess I assumed you count. If you don't count, you should learn. Females have a big advantage. If you don't count, don't play. If you don't have enough money to spread properly, don't play until you do.

Yes, I have recently begun my career as a counter, and enjoy it tremendously. I have a reasonable renewable bankroll, and can afford to spread more. I just need to get the guts to make the leap.
I really feel very conspicuous as a female at the table. I hope you're right - it would be nice if my gender helped my cause in this venture.
Thanks again.

There is certainly prejudice against women, and it's often assumed that they can't learn to play properly.

This drives my (skilled) gal crazy (especially when men lecture her on why she should stand on a 12v2, A7, etc.) but the most productive thing is to use their prejudice against them, even play into it - a classic judo move!

...but they comprise close to half of the students entering medical schools in the U.S.

"Since 1982-83, the total number of women entering U.S. medical schools has increased every year (in fact, the annual increases reach back to 1969-1970). Women�s share of the matriculating class has
likewise increased. Women went from less than a third (31.4%) of all matriculants in 1982-83 to a high of 49.6 percent in 2003-04. In 2007-08, women were 48.3 percent of all matriculants."

Now this either proves that counting cards is more difficult than medical school, or the male who made the statement is checking out his prostate with his nose.

Cobbson

Lady Physician

Sorry ladies, I couldn't resist. BJC

Playing Blackjack as a Business: page 56. "If a woman learns to play as expertly as this book can teach her, she can win a million dollars simply with the advantage of being female." The possibilities are endless!

The female advantage in blackjack is there and is definately strongest when you begin to play, but it was stronger in the past.

Most pits remain male and have stereotyped most women into that "can not count and need advice from a man" category. This is where that advantage lies and actually the more attractive the woman the less inteligence these male dinosours give her credit for.
So where these same pit critters will see a guy and think he might be a counter and watch him early on, or see another guy start to raise his bets and win and begin watching him closely, there is often a very big time delay before it possibly dawns on them that maybe that woman at the table is moving her money with the count. Play long enough though and a few of the less than brain dead males in the pit will figure it out.

The reason I stated that this advantage was stronger in the past is simply today there are many more women pits and a big percentage of them do know that women are perfectly capable of counting.

Sorry but Specs Parsons was one of the biggest con artists in blackjack. He was just a good player with a huge bankroll. And as his classic monograph explains, he'd been barred from every casino in Nevada and so was forced to take on students of the game. Anyway software is the mainstay today and it wasn't available in his time. Plus there are better casino games that win more money than blackjack.

Magpie-
I don't think you need to worry about this getting you barred. This guy is a very individual kind of jerk. I'm unable to define this type of jerk really but I have run into the type before.

Seems to only still exist in the South and in certain smaller unsophisticated markets. I'd say that in Las Vegas this is now virtually non-existent. It all comes down to act regardless of the sex of the patron. Look and act like a gambler and you'll get more time at the tables. I think race is still a factor however. It's always been said that the person least likely to be suspected as an advantage player would be a fat black female.