G                             C               G
On a warm summer's evening on a train bound for nowhere
  G                              G                 D
I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to speak
   G                               C             G
So we took turns a-starin' out the window at the darkness
     C           G                D7     G
'Til boredom overtook us and he began to speak.
G                                        C                G
He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,
G                                                         D
Knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes,
G                                             C           G
And if you don't mind me sayin', I can see you're out of aces,
C                    G            D                   G
And for a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."
G                                        C              G
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow;
G                                               D
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light,
G                                          C              G
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression,
C                         G                 D                           G
' said "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

[Chorus]
             G                      C            G
You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,
 C            G                          D
Know when to walk away And know when to run.
            G     D    G                  C              G
You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;
                   C           G       D                 G
There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

[Verse]
A                              D           A
Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
                                                    E                                                
Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep
        A      E        A           D              A                                            
'Cause every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser,
         D                 A              E            A                                                  
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep." 

[Chorus]
             G                      C            G
You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,
 C            G                          D
Know when to walk away And know when to run.
            G     D    G                  C              G
You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;
                   C           G       D                 G
There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

[Verse]
A                                   D                      A 
And when he finished speakin', he turned back toward the window,
                                             E
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep,
        A                E            A     D         A
And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler, he broke even,
             D             A               E         A
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.  

[Chorus]
             G                      C            G
You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,
 C            G                          D
Know when to walk away And know when to run.
            G     D    G                  C              G
You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;
                   C           G       D                 G
There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.