<p>There's a relevant SJG forum thread with a clear answer from the then-Munchkin line editor*, Andrew Hackard, <a href="http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=127262" rel="noreferrer">here</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.</p>
<p>This means that any Curse or Bad Stuff that (a) specifically targets Headgear or (b) has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing, whether specifically targeting it or not, will remove the Chicken</p>
<p>[...] This IS an official ruling.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In it he says that any <em>Curse</em> that &quot;<em>specifically targets headgear</em>&quot; <strike>and</strike> OR &quot;<em>has the effect of removing it</em>&quot; will take the <em>Chicken</em>.</p>
<p><em>Income Tax</em> doesn't specifically target headgear, so you couldn't lose it on the first arm, but it is lost on the second arm (as is explicitly confirmed later in the linked thread in discussion of the seventh item).</p>
<hr />
<p>* He later left SJG, came back a few years later and became <em>Munchkin Czar</em> (a title of his own devising).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-03T23:59:11.667Z
2017-11-04T16:07:55.500Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
Glen_b
<p>The way I read the Chicken rule you quoted, if you have to pay Income Tax and wind up naked and losing a level, that takes your headgear, hence removing the Chicken.  However, as Malco pointed out, according to the official <a href="http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/rules/munchkin_rules.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Munchkin rules</a>, whoever owns the game has the correct interpretation in the case of a rules dispute.</p>

<p>The question arose in comments, however: what if the player has enough to pay the tax, but <em>chooses</em> to include his headgear as part of the payment?</p>

<p>To me, the Chicken is a curse of sorts, so getting rid of it shouldn't be that easy.  Unless you can't make the tax amount without discarding your headgear, you can't <em>choose</em> to get rid of it.  The Chicken only goes with the headgear "if a Curse or Bad Stuff removes it" -- not if you choose to fulfill a requirement by discarding your headgear.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-03T16:55:25.400Z
What if I give it up as my elected payment though?
Weckar E.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-03T16:48:43.570Z
2017-11-03T17:19:52.777Z
2017-11-03T17:19:52.777Z
Zeiss Ikon
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>The question boils down to: Does &quot;that removes your Headgear&quot; mean &quot;that specifically instructs you to remove your Headgear&quot;, or does it mean &quot;that causes you to remove your head gear&quot;.</p>
<p>Since no cards specifically instructs you to remove your headgear —they instruct you to <em>lose</em> it— I would favour the looser interpretation.</p>
<p>This is supported by a <a href="http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?s=9ee7c4ba1240f64ed23181898ca5ef3c&amp;p=1786519&amp;postcount=4" rel="noreferrer">an official ruling</a> (in reply to <a href="http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=127262" rel="noreferrer">this</a>).</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.</strong></p>
<p>This means that any Curse or Bad Stuff that (a) specifically targets Headgear or (b) has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing, whether specifically targeting it or not, will remove the Chicken.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Since Income Tax is a Curse that has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing (even though it doesn't specifically targeting it), it will remove the Chicken.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-03T20:14:45.920Z
2017-11-04T05:42:32.310Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
ikegami
<p>If I choose to lose my headgear due to Income Tax, does that qualify as an event that would take the chicken with it?</p>

<p>The cards say:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Income Tax:</strong>
  Discard one item of your choice.
  Every other player must now discard an item or items, totaling at least as much value as the item you discarded. If they don't have enough to pay the full tax, they must discard all their items and lose a level.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Chicken on your head:</strong>
  -1 to all die rolls. Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-03T16:23:33.627Z
I dunno, I think the [Munchkin rules](http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/rules/munchkin_rules.pdf) are pretty clear here. Whoever owns the game has the correct rules interpretation :P
Malco
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-05T05:31:40.823Z
The IRS definitely count as both a Curse and Bad Stuff, overtaxing hardworking people just trying to put food on their families.
corsiKa
<munchkin>
Does "Income tax" count as a Curse or Bad Stuff that will remove "Chicken on your head"?
Weckar E.
# Does "Income tax" count as a Curse or Bad Stuff that will remove "Chicken on your head"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-03)

If I choose to lose my headgear due to Income Tax, does that qualify as an event that would take the chicken with it?

The cards say:

> **Income Tax:**
> Discard one item of your choice.
> Every other player must now discard an item or items, totaling at least as much value as the item you discarded. If they don't have enough to pay the full tax, they must discard all their items and lose a level.
>
> **Chicken on your head:**
> -1 to all die rolls. Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.

**Tags:** munchkin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I dunno, I think the [Munchkin rules](http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/rules/munchkin_rules.pdf) are pretty clear here. Whoever owns the game has the correct rules interpretation :P  
> **username_2**: The IRS definitely count as both a Curse and Bad Stuff, overtaxing hardworking people just trying to put food on their families.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-11-03. Score: 21 | Accepted answer

Yes.

The question boils down to: Does "that removes your Headgear" mean "that specifically instructs you to remove your Headgear", or does it mean "that causes you to remove your head gear".

Since no cards specifically instructs you to remove your headgear —they instruct you to *lose* it— I would favour the looser interpretation.

This is supported by a [an official ruling](http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?s=9ee7c4ba1240f64ed23181898ca5ef3c&p=1786519&postcount=4) (in reply to [this](http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=127262)).

> **Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.**
>
> This means that any Curse or Bad Stuff that (a) specifically targets Headgear or (b) has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing, whether specifically targeting it or not, will remove the Chicken.

Since Income Tax is a Curse that has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing (even though it doesn't specifically targeting it), it will remove the Chicken.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-11-03. Score: 7

There's a relevant SJG forum thread with a clear answer from the then-Munchkin line editor\*, Andrew Hackard, [here](http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=127262):

> Any Curse or Bad Stuff that removes your Headgear will take the chicken with it.
>
> This means that any Curse or Bad Stuff that (a) specifically targets Headgear or (b) has the effect of removing the Headgear you are wearing, whether specifically targeting it or not, will remove the Chicken
>
> [...] This IS an official ruling.

In it he says that any *Curse* that "*specifically targets headgear*" and OR "*has the effect of removing it*" will take the *Chicken*.

*Income Tax* doesn't specifically target headgear, so you couldn't lose it on the first arm, but it is lost on the second arm (as is explicitly confirmed later in the linked thread in discussion of the seventh item).

---

\* He later left SJG, came back a few years later and became *Munchkin Czar* (a title of his own devising).


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-11-03. Score: 3

The way I read the Chicken rule you quoted, if you have to pay Income Tax and wind up naked and losing a level, that takes your headgear, hence removing the Chicken. However, as username_1 pointed out, according to the official [Munchkin rules](http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/rules/munchkin_rules.pdf), whoever owns the game has the correct interpretation in the case of a rules dispute.

The question arose in comments, however: what if the player has enough to pay the tax, but *chooses* to include his headgear as part of the payment?

To me, the Chicken is a curse of sorts, so getting rid of it shouldn't be that easy. Unless you can't make the tax amount without discarding your headgear, you can't *choose* to get rid of it. The Chicken only goes with the headgear "if a Curse or Bad Stuff removes it" -- not if you choose to fulfill a requirement by discarding your headgear.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What if I give it up as my elected payment though?  

---

