2 good ways of making splits. find a 2 good frames of brood larvae and eggs. shake the bees put it in a different box. 2 frames of food shake the bees.the box with the frames put on top of the hive below the box put a queen excluder. If you need it done quick blow 4 puffs of smoke through the entrance and they will rise to those frames. Or you can wait the next day for the bees to rise. Those frames are ready for making the nuc and you know there is no queen. Second method is put an excluder in between first and second box wait a few days open top box and see if there is fresh larvae if yes put the box aside and you know there is no queen in the bottom box or vise verse. take the frames in the box without the queen on it.
Great information, thanks! I read a lot about checkerboarding, you don't need to do that?