VerseEAE
On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,
EB7
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
EAE
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
B7E
'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
Verse 2EAE
He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,
B7
and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
EAE
And if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
AEB7E
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."
Verse 3EAE
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
B7
Then he bummed a cigarette, and asked me for a light.
EAE
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
AEB7E
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.
ChorusEAE
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
AEB7
know when to walk away and know when to run.
EAEAE
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
AEB7E
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
Verse 4 (Key change)
FA#F
Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
C7
is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
FA#F
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
A#FC7F
and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."
Verse 5]
FA#F
And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,
C7
crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
FA#F
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
A#FC7F
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
ChorusFA#F
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
A#FC7
know when to walk away and know when to run.
FA#FA#F
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
A#FC7F
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
This arrangement for the song is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song. You may only use this for private study, scholarship, or research.