Kenny Rogers - The Gambler

(Schlitz)

Capo: 1st Fret

On a [D]warm summer's evenin' on a [G/D]train bound for [D]nowhere
I met up with the gambler, we were both too tired to [A]sleep
So [D]we took turns a starin' out the [G/D]window at the [D]darkness
'Til [G/D]boredom overtook [D]us, [A] and he began to [D]speak

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

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

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

[D]Ev'ry gambler knows that the [G]secret to sur[D]vivin'
is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to [A]keep
'Cause [D]ev'ry hand's a winner and [G]ev'ry hand's a [D]loser
and the [G]best that you can [D]hope for is to [A]die in your [D]sleep"

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

CHORUS (x3)