NT Opener?

For people who also frequent bridgewinners.com, this is a total repeat.  I am using this to learn my way with bridgeblogging.com.

For almost 40 years, I have enjoyed a 2-table individual game (IMPs) with some of the strongest players in the area where I lived.  Often we played in homes or local bridge clubs, but recently we have expanded to BBO.  We play 4 boards per round, 28 boards, everyone is your partner once  (but reduced to 14 or 21 boards when playing on BBO with random partners each round).  We play once or twice per month.  Two hands came up recently that seemed worth blogging for comments/reactions.  

White vs. red in 3rd seat after 2 passes, what do you open with

Or, all white, 2nd seat after 1 pass, what do you open with

As luck would have it, I held both of these hands and, both times, the same player (one of our stronger players) held these hands at the other table.  For many years many/most players have been opening NT with 6 card minors.  I have not yet noticed the trend with 6 card majors, but…

On the first hand, I opened a pedestrian 1S:

With the diamond K onside, no problem.  When the club A was ducked, I actually made 5, but at the other table, they had this auction:

 

 

My counterpart decided to try a 1NT opener with the solid 6 card spade suit.  When he elected to duck the heart J return at trick 2 (not best), he was soon down 2.

On the second hand, I opened a pedestrian 1H:

As the auction developed, 3NT seemed right.

My counterpart, fearful of the club position, had this auction:

While 4H can be made with squeeze/endplay positions, in practice it failed.  4H actually can be beaten with a very unlikely small spade lead, but all other leads allow you to arrive at a winning position.

So, you be the judge.  Keep trying (opening NT with 6 card majors), work on declarer play, or stick to 6 card minors for your NT openers?