Q:

Mysql performance: 1 query over 3 tables or 2 queries?

I need data from 3 different tables:

Catergory table
Scoretable 1
Scoretable 2

What is now better for the performance?

Make 3 seperated SELECT Queries
Make 2 queries and connect scoretable 1 and 2 and make a normal select query for the categories
Connect all 3 queries in 1?

Number 2:
SELECT scoretable1.category, scoretable1.score, scoretable2.score
FROM scoretable1, scoretable2
WHERE scoretable1.consultant = scoretable2.consultant 
AND scoretable2.consultant = '14' 
AND scoretable1.category = scoretable2.category

Thank you very much!
P.S. The category table is very small so I could export it also as a cache file as a serialized array? (Maybe the best way for this table)

A:

My guess would be that it is best to do it in one query. But i'm not absolutely sure. Maybe the query analyser can help you out here.

