Chainsaw for a newbie

I'm considering getting a chainsaw to help manage some pieces of wood that are very difficult to split. I've never used a chainsaw in my life. I'm pretty handy, though, and am quite comfortable using a reciprocating saw, circular saw, miter saw, etc.

The immediate task I'd use the saw for is breaking apart some difficult pieces of plum wood. These are often crotch pieces that are 12" thick or more. My maul just bounces off these pieces, can't get a split started to insert a wedge. Can't find a weak spot in them either. Unfortunately the guy who cut this tree down often cut diagonally, which makes it even more difficult to split. A chainsaw would allow me to easily correct those cuts I think, as well as for noodling them to get them into smaller pieces which I could then split with an axe.

What's a good chainsaw for this? I typically split rounds that I have delivered. I don't plan on felling my own trees, as I don't have a vehicle capable of hauling wood and that's not likely to change. I see a lot of people say good things about Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo. But I have no idea what model I need or what bar size I need. My hunch is that I'll need at least an 18" bar for noodling rounds that may be up to 18" tall.

Thanks for the tips, all. I'm leaning towards the Poulan Pro 50cc 20in model. The 60cc models are all significantly more expensive, and it seems like the 50cc should be adequate for my needs. I'll also need to invest in safety gear before using it. I know I'll need the chaps, helmet with visor and probably ear protection. Do you all also use steel toe boots when using a chain saw?

Thanks all, I believe there's a Stihl dealer near my house. I'll check them out.

Thanks again for the tips all. I've settled on the Husqvarna 450E 50cc with 20in bar. I found a good deal on it here: http://www.vminnovations.com/Produc...-20-Inch-Bar-50-2cc-Gas-Powered-Chainsaw.html using a 10% off coupon code they give if you sign up for an email newsletter. Total was $312 with free shipping and no tax. Was tempted to buy it from Amazon since I have Prime, but Amazon charges 9.5% sales tax to Washington residents, which added around $33 in tax. So I save around $65 buying from this other place, but I won't get it until next week.