Question

i would like to append an item into list_b only if it is one above '5H' which is '6H'

list_a = ('2A','4A','8H','6H')
list_b = ['5H']

list_a.pop() gives a '6H'
therefore if i append the '6H' it should be able to be added to list_b since its just one above '5H'.

i tried to compare the first values but it gives an error because the 1 in the code below is an int and list_b[-1][0] is a str.

if list_b[-1][0] + 1 != list_a.pop()[0]:
    print('Error')

Therefore i cannot use list_b[-1][0] + 1

Answer 1

Presuming that list_a really is a list, not a tuple, otherwise list_a.pop() won’t work …

You need to do TWO things:

(1) convert the first characters to int so that you can compare them properly
(2) check that the second characters are the same … from your problem description, it would appear that '6G' and '6I' (amongst many others) are not OK

b_value = list_b[-1]
a_value = list_a.pop()

ok = int(b_value[0]) + 1 == int(a_value[0]) and b_value[1] == a_value[1]