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Kenny Rogers - The Gambler Ukulele Chords

ChordsD, G, A, Em
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Ukulele D chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-2-0Ukulele D chord diagram
  • Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
  • Ukulele A chord diagram Fingering: 2-1-0-0Ukulele A chord diagram
  • Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram


On a [D]warm summer’s evening on a [G]train bound for [D]nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to [A]sleep.
So [D]we took turns a staring out the [G]window at the [D]darkness
‘Till [G]boredom over [D]took us, and [A]he began to [D]speak.


He said, [D]“Son, I’ve made a life out of [G]reading people’s [D]faces,
and knowing what their cards were by the way they held their [A]eyes.
And if [D]you don’t mind my saying, I can [G]see you’re out of [D]aces.
For a [G]taste of your [D]whiskey I’ll [A]give you some [D]advice.”


So I [D]handed him my bottle
and he [G]drank down my last [D]swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a [A]light.
And the [D]night got deathly quiet,
and his [G]face lost all ex[D]pression.
Said, “If you’re [G]gonna play the [D]game, boy,
ya gotta [A]learn to play it [D]right.


You got to [D]know when to hold ’em, [G]know when to [D]fold ’em,
[G]know when to [D]walk away and know when to [A]run.
You never [D]count [Em]your [D]money when you’re [G]sitting at the [D]table.
There’ll be [G]time enough for [D]counting [A]when the dealings [D]done.


[D]Every gambler knows that the [G]secret to surv[D]iving
is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to [A]keep.
‘Cause [D]every hand’s a winner and [G]every hand’s a [D]loser,
and the [G]best that you can [D]hope for is to [A]die in your [D]sleep.”


And [D]when he’d finished speaking, he [G]turned back towards the [D]window,
crushed out his cigarette and faded off to [A]sleep.
And [D]somewhere in the darkness the [G]gambler, he broke [D]even.
But [G]in his final [D]words I found an [A]ace that I could [D]keep.


You got to [D]know when to hold ’em, [G]know when to [D]fold ’em,
[G]know when to [D]walk away and know when to [A]run.
You never [D]count [Em]your [D]money when you’re [G]sitting at the [D]table.
There’ll be [G]time enough for [D]counting [A]when the dealin’s [D]done.

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AlbumThe Gambler
GenresCountry
Year1978
KeyD

How to play The Gambler on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Kenny Rogers - The Gambler on ukulele requires 4 chords and 3 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

The Gambler uses these transitions most often: D → G (23), G → D (23), and A → D (14). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with D - G chord transition.

1. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
D to G

2. D → A chord transition

To move from D to A;

  1. While playing D, lift your ring finger from E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
D to A

3. D → Em chord transition

To move from D to Em;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 4.
D to Em

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The Gambler.

  • The Gambler includes 78 chord transitions, 3 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • The Gambler contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how The Gambler connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 29%
    • D → A: 17%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → D: 24%