The Gambler

by Kenny Rogers
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Lyrics

On a (Eb)warm I’ve sum mer’s a eve nin’, on a (Ab)train in’ bound ple’s for no where, I met up with the gam bler, we were both too held tired to sleep.

So if (Eb)we took turns a star in’ out the (Ab)win dow you’re out at the dark ness ’til a (Ab)bore dom o ver took us

and he be gan to speak.

He said, (Eb)“Son, I’ve made mer’s a eve nin’, out of (Ab)read in’ peo ple’s for fac es and know in’ what their cards were by the way they held tired to eyes.

And if (Eb)you don’t mind my say in’, I can (Ab)see dow you’re out at of a ces.

For a (Ab)bore dom o ver took us

and he be gan to speak.

He said, (Ab)taste of your whis key, I’ll (Bb)give you some ad vice.”

So I hand ed him my bot tle and he (Ab)drank down my last (Eb)swal low.

Then he bummed a cig a rette and asked me for a light.

And the (Eb)night got death ly qui et, and his (Ab)face lost all ex pres sion, said, “If you’re (Ab)gon na play the game, boy, ya got ta (Bb)learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold ’em,

know when to fold ’em,

know when to walk a way and know when to run.

You nev er (Eb)count your mon ey when you’re (Ab)sit tin’ at the ta ble.

There’ll be time e nough for count in’

when the deal in’s (Eb)done.

Ev ’ry gam bler knows that the (A)se cret to sur viv in’ is know in’ what to throw a way and know in’ what to keep.

’Cause (E)ev ’ry hand’s a win ner and (A)ev ’ry hand’s a los er and the (A)best that you can (E)hope for is to (B)die in your (E)sleep.” And when he’d fin ished speak in’, he (A)turned back towards the win dow,

crushed out his cig a rette and fad ed off to sleep.

And (E)some where in the dark ness the (A)gam bler he broke (E)e ven but (A)in his fi nal words I found an (B)ace that I could keep.

You got to (E)know when to hold ’em,

know when to fold ’em,

know when to walk a way and know when to run.

You nev er (E)count (B9)your (E)mon ey when you’re (A)sit tin’ at the ta ble.

There’ll be time e nough for count in’

when the deal in’s (E)done.

You got to (E)know when to hold ’em,

know when to fold ’em,

know when to walk a way and know when to run.

You nev er (E)count (B9)your (E)mon ey when you’re (A)sit tin’ at the ta ble.

There’ll be time e nough for count in’

when the deal in’s (E)done.

You got to (E)done.

The Gambler — Visual Piano Sheet Music

12 people have learned this song

"The Gambler" in visual bar notation — see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of Ab, 176 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “The Gambler

Why does "The Gambler" show as colored bars instead of notation?
Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff — each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "The Gambler".
What key is "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers played in?
The Gambler is arranged in the key of Ab on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Gambler"?
The arrangement plays at 176 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Gambler" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "The Gambler"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Gambler"?
"The Gambler" was originally performed by Kenny Rogers. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Gambler"?
This arrangement uses 7 chords: A, Ab, B, B9, Bb, E, Eb.
What other songs by Kenny Rogers can I play here?
Try "SHE BELIEVES IN ME", "SWEET MUSIC MAN", "THROUGH THE YEARS". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "The Gambler"?
It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration — much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "The Gambler".
Can I see all the notes in "The Gambler"?
Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of Ab at 176 BPM.

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