{duration:03:38}
On a [G]warm summer's evenin' 
on a [C]train bound for [G]nowhere,
I [C]met up with the [G]gambler; 
we were both too tired to[D]sleep.
So [G]we took turns a starin' 
out the [C]window at the [G]darkness
'til [C]boredom over[G]took us, 
[D]and he began to [G]speak.

He said, [G]"Son, I've made a life 
out of [C]readin' people's [G]faces,
and [C]knowin' what their [G]cards 
were by the way they held their e[D]yes.
And if [G]you don't mind my sayin', 
I can [C]see you're out of [G]aces.
For a [C]taste of your [G]whiskey 
I'll [D]give you some [G]advice."

So I [G]handed him my bottle and 
he [C]drank down my last [G]swallow.
[C]Then he bummed a [G]cigarette 
and asked me for a li[D]ght.
And the [G]night got deathly quiet, 
and his [C]face lost all expr[G]ession.
Said, "If you're [C]gonna play the game, 
[G]boy, ya gotta [D]learn to play it [G]right.

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

[G]Ev'ry gambler knows that the 
s[C]ecret to survi[G]vin'
is [C]knowin' what to [G]throw 
way and knowing what to[D]keep.
'Cause [G]ev'ry hand's a winner 
and [C]ev'ry hand's a [G]loser,
and the [C]best that you can [G]hope 
for is to [D]die in your [G]sleep."

And [G]when he'd finished speakin', 
he [C]turned back towards the [G]window,
[C]crushed out his [G]cigarette 
and faded off to[D]sleep.
And [G]somewhere in the darkness the [C]gambler, 
he broke [G]even.
But [C]in his final [G]words I found 
an [D]ace that I could [G]keep.

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

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

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