The Gambler

[Verse 1]

G C G

On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,

C G C D

I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.

G C G

So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness

C G D G

'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

[Verse 2]

G C G

He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,

C G C D

and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.

G C G

And if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.

C G D G

For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

[Verse 3]

G C G

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.

C G C 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 C D

know when to walk away and know when to run.

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 4] (transpose +1 here if you want to play it correctly)

G C G

Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'

C G C D

is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.

G C G

'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,

C G D G

and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

[Verse 5]

G C G

And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,

C G C D

crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.

G C G

And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.

C G D G

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 C D

know when to walk away and know when to run.

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.

G C G

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,

C G C D

know when to walk away and know when to run.

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.

G C G

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,

C G C D

know when to walk away and know when to run.

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.