Chords + Lyrics | The Gambler (capo 1 + 2)
Intro (capo 1)
||: Dadd4 Dsus2/4 G :||
Verse 1
| D5 | G5 D5 |
On a warm summer’s evening, on a train bound for nowhere.
| D5 | D A7 |
I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to sleep.
| D5 | G D5 |
So we took turns a-starin’, out the window at the darkness.
| G D5 | A7 Dadd9 |
The boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
Verse 2
He said, “Son, I’ve made a life, out of readin’ people’s faces.
And knowin’ what the cards were by the way they held their eyes.
So if you don’t mind my sayin’, I can see you’re out of aces.
| G D5 | A7 D5 | 2/4 D5 |
For a taste of your whiskey, I’ll give you some advice.”
Verse 3
| D5 (D5/A) | G D5 |
So I handed him my bottle, and he drank down my last swallow.
| D5 (D5/A) | D5 A7 |
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
| D5 (D5/A) | G D5 |
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
| G D5 | A7 D5 |
Said, “If you’re gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.
Chorus 1
| D5 (D5/A) | G D5 |
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
| G D5 | D5 A7 |
Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
| D5 (D5/A) | G D5 |
You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table.
| G D5 | D5 A7 | D5 (D5/A) |2/4 D5 |
There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealing’s done.
Verse 4 (key change, move capo up to fret 2)
| D5 | G D5 |
Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin’.
| D5 | D5 A7 |
Is knowin’ what to throw away and knowin’ what to keep.
| D5 | G D5 |
‘Cause every hand’s a winner, and every hand’s a loser,
| G D5 | A7 D5 |
And the best that you can hope for, is to die in your sleep.
Verse 5
| D5 | G D5 |
And when he finished speakin’, he turned back toward the window.
| D5 | D5 A7 |
Crushed out his cigarette, and faded off to sleep.
| D5 (hold) | G D5 (hold) |
And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke even.
| G D5 (hold) | A7 D (hold) |
And in his final words, I found an ace that I could keep.
Chorus 2
| D5 | G D5 |
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
| G D | D A7 |
Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
| D5 | G5 D |
You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table.
| D5 | A7 D5 |
There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealing’s done.
Chorus 3 (breakdown)
| D5 | G D5 |
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
| G D5 | D5 A7 |
Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
| D5 | G D5 |
You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table.
| D5 | A7 D5 |
There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealing’s done.
Chorus 4 (same as chorus 3)
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 dealing’s done.
The Gambler Chords: Navigating Key Changes and Guitar Tips
The Gambler uses only I – IV – V chords, starting in the awkward key of Eb. You could ease the pain by placing a capo on fret 1 and thinking in the key of D.
The problem with this approach, however, is that after the first chorus, the key goes up by a semitone, which might create problems for you.
The best solution is to use a Glider capo.
I experimented with playing in the key of Eb, using a C shape, and switching to an open position E chord during the key change. I felt quite clever for figuring this out. However, it doesn’t quite capture the original sound of the song. Only when thinking in D does it feel and sound just right.
So, my suggestion is to either use the Glider capo or play the whole song in D. No capo, or capo on fret 1 or 2, will work fine for a solo guitar. If you’re playing in a band, you could pause for that half-bar and shift the capo up manually—it’ll be just fine.
To get everything right, you’ll likely want some TAB. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: The Gambler – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Verse
Here are the verse chords for The Gambler:
| D5 (I) | G5 (IV) D5 (I) | D5 | D A7 (V) |
| D5 | G D5 | G D5 | A7 D5 |
Chorus
The chorus chords are similarly simple, but they use a different picking pattern than the verses (check the TAB!).
| D5 | G D5 | G D | D A7 |
| D5 | G5 D | D5 | A7 D5 |
If you’re in a band, you don’t need to stick to D5 chords—you can play the full triad. However, it sounds better on your own to use the power chords.
Once you’ve gone through the TAB, played along with Kenny, and perhaps bought a Glider capo, a simple chord chart will be all you need. Here’s one I’ve made for you.
The Gambler Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: The Gambler chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: The Gambler iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key, although as discussed, you’re better off doing that with a capo, always thinking in the key of D!
The Gambler TAB | Course Preview
There’s loads of TAB in the course showing you how to play all sections of The Gambler, from intro to final chorus.
As a preview, here’s the intro.
Kenny Rogers Didn’t Write The Gambler
Kenny Rogers didn’t write his signature song, The Gambler. In fact, it wasn’t Johnny Cash either, although Johnny released it just two days before Kenny, in November 1978.
The song was penned by Don Schlitz, who initially had Bobby Bare release it in April 1978, but it wasn’t a hit. Schlitz then gave it a go himself in November, meaning he and Johnny put all their chips on the table that month!
The following year, Kenny’s version went on to top the charts at #1, and two years later, it earned him a Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal.
The song’s success led to several TV movies based on The Gambler, with Kenny Rogers starring in the lead role. Here’s a list of those films:
- Kenny Rogers as The Gambler (1980)
- Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues (1983)
- Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues (1987)
- The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991)
- Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (1994)
If that’s not milking an idea, I don’t know what is!
The Gambler Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: The Gambler (Kenny Rogers) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
