  We present a theoretical analysis of a simple model of the depinning of an
anchored semiflexible polymer from a fixed planar substrate in (1+1)
dimensions. We consider a polymer with a discrete sequence of pinning sites
along its contour. Using the scaling properties of the conformational
distribution function in the stiff limit and applying the necklace model of
phase transitions in quasi-one-dimensional systems, we obtain a melting
criterion in terms of the persistence length, the spacing between pinning
sites, a microscopic effective length which characterizes a bond, and the bond
energy. The limitations of this and other similar approaches are also
discussed. In the case of force-induced unbinding, it is shown that the bending
rigidity favors the unbinding through a ``lever-arm effect''.
