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The Gambler

Chords

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[Verse]
On Ga warm summer's evening on a Ctrain bound for Gnowhere
I Gmet up with a gambler, we were Gboth too tired to Dspeak
So Gwe took turns a-starin' out the Cwindow at the Gdarkness
'Til Cboredom overGtook us and he beD7gan to Gspeak.
GHe said, "Son, I've made a life out of reCadin' people's faGces,
GKnowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eDyes,
GAnd if you don't mind me sayin', I can see youC're out of aGces,
CAnd for a taste of yoGur whiskey I'Dll give you some advGice."
GSo I handed him my bottle and he drank doCwn my last swalGlow;
GThen he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a liDght,
GAnd the night got deathly quiet, and his faCce lost all expGression,
C' said "If you're gonna plGay the game, boy, Dya gotta learn to play it riGght.
[Chorus]
You got to knGow when to hold 'em, KnCow when to foGld 'em,
KCnow when to wGalk away And know when to rDun.
You never coGunt yoDur moGney  When you're siCttin' at the taGble;
There'll be time enCough for couGntin' WhDen the dealin's doGne.
[Verse]
AEvery gambler knows that the seDcret to survAivin'
Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to kEeep
'Cause eAvery haEnd's a wiAnner, and evDery hand's a loAser,
And the bDest that you can hAope for is to dEie in your slAeep." 
[Chorus]
You got to knGow when to hold 'em, KnCow when to foGld 'em,
KCnow when to wGalk away And know when to rDun.
You never coGunt yoDur moGney  When you're siCttin' at the taGble;
There'll be time enCough for couGntin' WhDen the dealin's doGne.
[Verse]
AAnd when he finished speakin', he tuDrned back toward the wiAndow,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to slEeep,
And someAwhere in the darkEness, the gamAbler, Dhe broke eAven,
But in his fiDnal words I foAund an ace that EI could keAep.  
[Chorus]
You got to knGow when to hold 'em, KnCow when to foGld 'em,
KCnow when to wGalk away And know when to rDun.
You never coGunt yoDur moGney  When you're siCttin' at the taGble;
There'll be time enCough for couGntin' WhDen the dealin's doGne.

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

"The Gambler" tells the story of a chance encounter on a train, where a weary traveler receives profound life advice from an old gambler. The gambler uses poker metaphors to explain that life is about knowing what to hold onto, what to let go of, and when to walk away. Songwriter Don Schlitz felt the song was a gift, inspired by his late father. Johnny Cash recorded this version in 1978 for his album Gone Girl. Given Cash's own music often explored themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, this song about hard-won wisdom fits perfectly into his world. It plays like a timeless lesson on navigating life's unpredictable hands.

AI-written from these sources:The Gambler (song) — Wikipedia ↗Johnny Cash — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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The Gambler

by Johnny Cash

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse]

G C G

On a warm summer's evening on a train bound for nowhere

G G D

I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to speak

G C G

So we took turns a-starin' out the window at the darkness

C G D7 G

'Til boredom overtook us and he began to speak.

G C G

He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,

G D

Knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes,

G C G

And if you don't mind me sayin', I can see you're out of aces,

C G D G

And for a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

G C G

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow;

G D

Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light,

G C G

And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression,

C G D G

' said "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

[Chorus]

G C G

You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

C G D

Know when to walk away And know when to run.

G D G C G

You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table;

C G D G

There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

[Verse]

A D A

Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'

Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep

A E A D A

'Cause every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser,

D A E A

And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

[Chorus]

G C G

You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

C G D

Know when to walk away And know when to run.

G D G C G

You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table;

C G D G

There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

[Verse]

A D A

And when he finished speakin', he turned back toward the window,

Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep,

A E A D A

And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler, he broke even,

D A E A

But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

[Chorus]

G C G

You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

C G D

Know when to walk away And know when to run.

G D G C G

You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table;

C G D G

There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

About The Gambler Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play The Gambler by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Gambler chords”, “The Gambler guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash The Gambler chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy The Gambler chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Gambler lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, D7, A, E.

FAQ — The Gambler by Johnny Cash

How do I play "The Gambler" by Johnny Cash on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Gambler" by Johnny Cash on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "The Gambler" by Johnny Cash free?

Yes. The chords for "The Gambler" by Johnny Cash are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Gambler" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Gambler" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Gambler"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Gambler" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Gambler" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Gambler" by Johnny Cash with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Johnny Cash below.

What key is "The Gambler" in?

The chords for "The Gambler" show the original chord names (including G, C, D, D7, A, E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.