create table OneTomore ( id int identity(1,1), Name varchar(255) ) ; insert into OneTomore values('1*2*3*4*5') insert into OneTomore values('1*2*3*4*5') insert into OneTomore values('1*2*3*4*5*****') ; ;with mycte as ( SELECT ID, CAST('<i>' + REPLACE(Name, '*', '</i><i>') + '</i>' AS XML) AS KID FROM OneTomore ) select ID,x.i.value('.', 'VARCHAR(10)') AS KID from mycte CROSS APPLY KID.nodes('i') x(i) where len(x.i.value('.', 'VARCHAR(10)'))<>''