The Gambler - Kenny Rogers [intro] [C] On a [C] warm summer's evenin' on a [F] train bound for [C] nowhere, I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to [G7] sleep. So [C] we took turns a starin' out the [F] window at the [C] darkness 'til [F] boredom over [C] took us, and [G7] he began to [C] speak. He said, [C] "Son, I've made a life out of [F] readin' people's [C] faces, and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their [G7] eyes. And if [C] you don't mind my sayin', I can [F] see you're out of [C] aces. For a [F] taste of your [C] whiskey I'll [G7] give you some [C] advice." So I [C] handed him my bottle and he [F] drank down my last [C] swallow. Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a [G7] light. And the [C] night got deathly quiet, and his [F] face lost all ex[C]pression. Said, "If you're [F] gonna play the [C] game, boy, ya gotta [G7] learn to play it [C] right. You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em, [F] know when to [C] walk away and know when to [G7] run. You never [C] count your money when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table. There'll be [F] time enough for [C] countin' [G7] when the dealin's [C] done. [C] Ev'ry gambler knows that the [F] secret to surv[C]ivin' is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to [G7] keep. 'Cause [C] ev'ry hand's a winner and [F] ev'ry hand's a [C] loser, and the [F] best that you can [C] hope for is to [G7] die in your [C] sleep." And [C] when he'd finished speakin', he [F] turned back towards the [C] window, crushed out his cigarette and faded off to [G7] sleep. And [C] somewhere in the darkness the [F] gambler, he broke [C] even. But [F] in his final [C] words I found an [G7] ace that I could [C] keep. You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em, [F] know when to [C] walk away and know when to [G7] run. You never [C] count your money when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table. There'll be [F] time enough for [C] countin' [G7] when the dealin's [C] done. Repeat Chorus Scratching only: You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em, [F] know when to [C] walk away and know when to [G7] run. You never [C] count your money when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table. There'll be [F] time enough for [C] countin' [G7] when the dealin's [C] done. You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em, [F] know when to [C] walk away and know when to [G7] run. You never [C] count your money when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table. There'll be [F] time enough for [C] countin' [G7] when the dealin's [C] done.