A                       D               A
About 20 years ago, on a train bound for nowhere I met up with The Gambler
                              E
We were both too tired to sleep
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So we took turns a starin' through the window at the darkness
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Til' boredom overtook us and he commenced to speak
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He said: Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces
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And knowin' what their cards were, by the way they held their eyes
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And if you don't mind my sayin', I would say you're out of aces
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"And for one taste of your whiskey, I will give you some advice
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So I handed him my bottle, and he drank down my last swallow
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Then he bummed a cigarette; then he bummed a light
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The night got deathly quiet and his face lost all expression.
          D                       A                     E                   A
He said: If you're gonna play the game, boy, you better learn to play it right
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'Cos ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survival
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Is knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep
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And ev'ry hand's a winner, just like ev'ry hand's a loser
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And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep

            A                      D                 A
You got to know when to hold 'em,     know when to fold 'em
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Know when to walk away; know when to run
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table
               D            A                 E             A
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
            A                      D                 A
You got to know when to hold 'em,     know when to fold 'em
D             A                         E
Know when to walk away; know when to run
           A                                  D                 A
You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table
               D            A                 E             A
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done

     A                                D                        A
And when he finished speakin', he turned back t'ward the window
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Put out his cigarette; faded off to sleep
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And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke even
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But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep

            A                      D                 A
You got to know when to hold 'em,     know when to fold 'em
D             A                         E
Know when to walk away; know when to run
           A                                  D                 A
You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table
               D            A                 E             A
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done

            A                      D                 A
You got to know when to hold 'em,     know when to fold 'em
D             A                         E
Know when to walk away; know when to run
           A                                  D                 A
You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table
               D            A                 E             A
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done

            A                      D                 A
You got to know when to hold 'em,     know when to fold 'em
D             A                         E
Know when to walk away; know when to run
           A                                  D                 A
You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table
               D            A                 E             A
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done