That is how I see it. The hash join took longer to run than the inner join. I ran both queries in the same query window and both ran with the same subcost as when run in separate windows. The query cost (relative to the batch) for the inner join was only 31.46% and for the hash join it was 68.54%.

Robert Marda

SQL Server will deliver its data any way you want it

when you give your SQL Programmer enough developing time.