Which method is faster and more effective?

[mkosmosports]

I have a database full of teams and dates when the teams start out. For this particular tournament teams enter at 4 different stages (dates)...

What is quicker?

1. Do four different mysql queries which would return only the teams during selected date intervals?
2. Do one query which would return all teams and then use php to separate out what is to be returned when?

Thanks..

[.josh]

how about running a test?

[code]
<?php
function timer()
{
    list($usec, $sec) = explode(" ", microtime());
    return ((float)$usec + (float)$sec);
}

$t1 = timer();
// do method 1

$t2 = timer();
// do method 2

$t3 = timer();

$total1 = $t2-$t1;
$total2 = $t3-$t2;
echo "Method 1 :  $total1 <br />";
echo "Method 2 :  $total2 <br />";
?>
[/code]

edit: I stoled this code snippet from barand's poll. not that i couldn't have done it myself, but i'm lazy such and all.  just giving credit where credit is due ;D

[mkosmosports]

Thanks Crayon Violent. I will indeed try this and post the results when its all done!