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The Gambler original guitar chords by
Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Logo

1978•Country•38.4K views•
5.0 (12)
Key: Eb major•
Intro 1
D
D

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G
G

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D
D

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G
G

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Verse 1
D
D

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On a warm summer's evening
G
G

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D
D

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On a train bound for nowhere

I met up with the gambler
A
A

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We were both too tired to sleep
D
D

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So we took turns a-starin'
G
G

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D
D

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Out the window at the darkness
G
G

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D
D

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The boredom overtook us
A
A

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D
D

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And he began to speak
Verse 2
D
D

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He said, "Son, I've made a life
G
G

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D
D

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Out of readin' people's faces

Knowin' what the cards were
A
A

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By the way they held their eyes
D
D

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So if you don't mind my sayin'
G
G

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D
D

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I can see you're out of aces
G
G

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D
D

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For a taste of your whiskey
A
A

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D
D

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I'll give you some advice"
Verse 3
D
D

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So I handed him my bottle
G
G

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D
D

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And he drank down my last swallow

Then he bummed a cigarette
A
A

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And asked me for a light
D
D

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And the night got deathly quiet
G
G

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D
D

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And his face lost all expression
G
G

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D
D

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Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy
A
A

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D
D

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You gotta learn to play it right
Chorus 1
D
D

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You've got to know when to hold 'em
G
G

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D
D

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Know when to fold 'em
G
G

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D
D

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Know when to walk away
A
A

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And know when to run
D
D

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G
G

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D
D

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You never count your money
G
G

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D
D

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When you're sittin' at the table
G
G

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D
D

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There'll be time enough for countin'
A
A

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D
D

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D
D

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When the dealin's done
Verse 4
Eb
Eb
6

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Every gambler knows
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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That the secret to survivin'

Is knowin' what to throw away
Bb
Bb

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And knowin' what to keep
Eb
Eb
6

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'Cause every hand's a winner
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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And every hand's a loser
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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And the best that you can hope for
Bb
Bb

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Eb
Eb
6

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Is to die in your sleep"
Verse 5
Eb
Eb
6

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And when he'd finished speakin'
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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He turned back toward the window

Crushed out his cigarette
Bb
Bb

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Faded off to sleep
Eb
Eb
6

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And somewhere in the darkness
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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The gambler he broke even
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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But in his final words I found
Bb
Bb

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Eb
Eb
6

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an ace that I could keep
Chorus 2
Eb
Eb
6

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You've got to know when to hold 'em
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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Know when to fold 'em
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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Know when to walk away
Bb
Bb

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And know when to run
Eb
Eb
6

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Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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You never count your money
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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When you're sittin' at the table
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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There'll be time enough for countin'
Bb
Bb

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Eb
Eb
6

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When the dealin's done
Chorus 3
Eb
Eb
6

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You've got to know when to hold 'em

(when to hold 'em)

Know when to fold 'em (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 dealin's done
Chorus 4
Eb
Eb
6

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You've got to know when to hold 'em
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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Know when to fold 'em
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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Know when to walk away
Bb
Bb

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And know when to run
Eb
Eb
6

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Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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You never count your money
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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When you're sittin' at the table
Ab
Ab
4

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Eb
Eb
6

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There'll be time enough for countin'
Bb
Bb

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Eb
Eb
6

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When the dealin's done

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner
Chords

  • D

  • G

  • A

  • Eb

    6

  • Ab

    4

  • Bb

Capo: 1

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

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Frequently asked questions

The original key of The Gambler by Kenny Rogers is Eb major.

The primary chords used in The Gambler are Eb, Ab, Bb, E, A, B.

To play in the original key, place your capo on the 1 fret.

Yes, this version uses open chords like Eb, Ab, Bb, E, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

If the simplified chords are too easy, you can visit the original chords page for a more advanced arrangement.

The tempo of The Gambler is approximately 90 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of The Gambler using our Transpose button located in the toolbar. This will automatically update all chord diagrams on the page to match your new key.

Yes! Click the Print icon to generate a clean, one-page version of the chords and lyrics for The Gambler. This is perfect for practicing offline or adding to a physical songbook.

Yes, we have integrated a Mini-Tuner directly on this page. Use it to quickly check your string pitch (Standard Tuning: E A D G B E) before you start playing along with Kenny Rogers.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add The Gambler to your account. You can access all your saved songs under My Library at any time.

You can view the full chord sheet and lyrics for The Gambler by Kenny Rogers on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.