• If you do get a difference, please blog it. Also, if you do get a difference, try OPTION (RECOMPILE) on the query, see if there's any change. Shouldn't be, recompile just lets the optimiser know the number of rows for table var, not the data distribution, but should be included for completeness.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass