[Intro]
E|-----0-------------0---3~5-0-|
B|-0h2---2-3-2p0-0h2---2-------|
G|-----------------------------| x 2
D|-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|
[Verse 1]
(add9 to the E on every 3rd beat throughout 1st 2 verses)
EA/EE
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.
EA/EE
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
A/EEB7E
'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
[Verse 2]
(Bass in)
EA/EE
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.
EA/EE
And if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
A/EEB7E
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."
Verse 3: (strumming starts)
EAE
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.
[Chorus]
EAE
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.
EAEB7E
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
[Verse 4]
(Key change)
FBbF
Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
C
is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
FBbF
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
BbFCF
and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."
[Verse 5]
FBbF
And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,
C7
crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
FBbF
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
BbFC7F
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
[Chorus]
FBbF
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
BbFC7
know when to walk away and know when to run.
FBbFBbF
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
FBbFC7F
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
N.C.
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
FBbF
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
BbFC7
know when to walk away and know when to run.
FBbFBbF
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
FBbFC7F
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
************************************
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| ~ Vibrato