In fact, the value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in blackjack. Since sixteen of the other fifty cards have a value of 10 and four have a value of 11, there is a strong chance of getting at least an 18 with either or both split cards. A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16.
While luck certainly does have a part to play in Blackjack, there is a lot of skill that goes into playing the game. How much skill or strategy you use depends on the time and effort you are willing to put into learning these skills. One such skill is card counting-not like by casinos but certainly not illegal.