Use Cheat card for extra bonus on item

[Te_QuiLa]

Hey,

we played Munchkin yesterday and there was a question about the "Cheat" card.It allows you to use an item you couldn't use normally according to the rules.

A friend had an item that has no class/race restriction but has a special +4 instead of +1 bonus for elves (which he wasn't).

He then came into a fight which he could not win by a difference of 2 points and wanted to play the "cheat" card during his fight on this item to gain the +4 bonus instead of +1.

1) Is it allowed to play the cheat card DURING a fight? I think that it is not allowed to change your equipment during the fight so it should not be allowed. On the other hand it is a "cheat" and the name says it all... :-D

2) Is it possible to use the cheat card to gain a special bonus of an item that you could normally use? In my opinion the card allows you to use an item that you couldn't use but does not allow you to get a special bonus of an item (so for instance: it allows you to use an item that is only useable by elves even if you are not an elf, but it doesn't give you the special race/class bonus of an item that you can use normally). Which version is correct?


Thanks in advance
Te_QuiLa