The Gambler
Don Schlitz

Kenny Rogers
The Gambler
1978

This is a great song from an early Kenny album.  It's simple,
using three basic chords and one minor change.  It's easy to
play and it's neat that it starts with picking and moves to
strumming.  Have fun with this one!

Lyrics

Capo 1st

INTRO (I have only tabbed one of two guitars here):

   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:---------2-------|---------3-------|---------2-------|---------3-------|
B:-----3-----3---3-|-----3-----3---3-|-----3-----3---3-|-----3-----3---3-|
G:-------------2---|-------------0---|-------2-----2---|-------0-----0---|
D:-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-0h2-------------|-----------------|-0h2-------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

This is the verse:

   D                                   G                 D
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-----------2-----|-----------2-----|---------3-------|-----------2-----|
B:-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----3---3-|-----3-------3---|
G:---------2-----2-|---------2-----2-|-------------0---|---------2-----2-|
D:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|



                                                         A
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-----------2-----|-----------2-----|-----------2-----|---------0-------|
B:-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2---2-|
G:---------2-----2-|---------2-----2-|---------2-----2-|-------2-----2---|
D:-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|



   D                                   G                 D
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:-----------2-----|-----------2-----|---------3-------|-----------2-----|
B:-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----3---3-|-----3-------3---|
G:---------2-----2-|---------2-----2-|-------------0---|---------2-----2-|
D:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|



   G                 D                 A                 D
   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +
e:---------3-------|-----------2-----|---------0-------|-----------2-----|
B:-----3-----3---3-|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2---2-|-----3-------3---|
G:-------------0---|---------2-----2-|-------2-----2---|---------2-----2-|
D:-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
E:-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|





LYRICS:

Play intro

On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere
I met up with a gambler; we were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin' out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us and he began to speak

He said "son I've made a life out of readin' people's faces
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
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice"

strumming starts here; strum verse chords
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet and his face lost all expression
Said "if you're gonna play the game boy you gotta learn to play it right

CHORUS
           D
You got to know when to hold 'em
G               D
   Know when to fold 'em

G               D
   Know when to walk away

             A
Know when to run
          D     Em7  D
You never count your money
            G              D
When you're sittin' at the table
            G               D
There'll be time enough for countin'
A                    D
   When the dealin's done

slide capo up to 2nd fret during drums

Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep
So every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep"

And when he'd finished speakin' he turned back toward the window
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler he broke even
And in his final words I found an ace that I could keep


CHORUS

CHORUS (a capella)

CHORUS

end on D

for the key change, you could keep the capo 1st and play
D > Eb  (xx5343)
G > Ab  (466544)
A > Bb  (x13331)
forget the Em7

For the other chords, check out my Key to Chords.
To learn why this chord is named this way, check out Dansm's Guitar Chord Theory.