[CQ-Contest] Split Frequency in Contests?

[Jim Martin]

I think for the first time last weekend I heard contest stations working
split. They were not exactly exotic or rare prefixes so why the split
operation?  Others like XT2DX and HC8N had huge pile-ups but always managed
to skilfully work their way through.
Is this to do with the calibre of the operator or a ploy to spread out the
callers and have an operator work the stations and another 'tee' up the next
QSO? Muscle substituting for skill?
Whatever the reason, many times over the weekend I heard chunks of the band
rendered useless by this practice and felt sorry for the stations who had
been running on the previously clear frequency and then being drowned under
a sea of callsigns. I would rather  take my 'little
pistols' chances in the pile-up and if it's too busy try again later.
That's what makes it fun!
Jim   MM0BQI
(Originally posted on UK-Contest)