The speaker opens with a confession: he knows the rules of life's social games but won't follow them, even though most people do and seem happier for it. He then walks through chess, poker and football, each built on reading an opponent, hiding things, and exploiting weakness. Those games become a picture of a world where honesty isn't a priority, openness is frowned on, kindness is optional and generosity doesn't exist.
Love is the last game, and it's where the poem turns personal. The speaker describes toying with the heart, a mix of excitement, anxiety and bewilderment, and a heart that "pounds and pounds." He admits he's winless so far, but he won't give in. The ending is stubbornly hopeful: he believes the losing streak must end eventually. The mood is wary and a little lonely at first, then becomes determined and quietly optimistic, as if he'd rather lose honestly than win by playing the way everyone else does.