1. On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,

2. He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,

3. So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.

1. I met up with a gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.

2. and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.

3. then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.

1. So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness

2. So if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces,

3. And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression,

1. 'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

2. for a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

3. said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,

know when to walk away, 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.

4. Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'

5. And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,

4. is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.

5. crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.

4. 'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,

5. And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even,

4. and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

5. but in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.