mysql> select count(white_player) from game where white_player like 'trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot' or black_player like 'trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot'; +---------------------+ | count(white_player) | +---------------------+ | 11771 | +---------------------+ 1 row in set (0.89 sec) mysql> select count(white_player) from game where lower(white_player) = lower('trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot') or lower(black_player) = lower('trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot'); +---------------------+ | count(white_player) | +---------------------+ | 11771 | +---------------------+ 1 row in set (2.09 sec) mysql> create index game_lower_white_player_idx on game (white_player); Query OK, 301279 rows affected (7.93 sec) Records: 301279 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 0 mysql> create index game_lower_black_player_idx on game (black_player); Query OK, 301279 rows affected (12.96 sec) Records: 301279 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 0 mysql> select count(white_player) from game where white_player like 'trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot' or black_player like 'trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot'; +---------------------+ | count(white_player) | +---------------------+ | 11771 | +---------------------+ 1 row in set (0.16 sec) mysql> select count(white_player) from game where lower(white_player) = lower('trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot') or lower(black_player) = lower('trainer@chesspark.com/TrainingBot'); +---------------------+ | count(white_player) | +---------------------+ | 11771 | +---------------------+ 1 row in set (1.83 sec)