Bet size

I have this issue where I don get enough value when I have the best hand and I end up being short stacked cause I didn't use my time well. If I raise they fold and if I try to be smart and check like I don't have anything then weak hands usually catch up. Any tips on how I can maximise value?

Prefer to bet smaller amounts (between 1/3 and 1/2 of the pot) instead of increasing the bet too much, making the price attractive for worse hands to pay.
Also, learn how to read the bets and folds of the villains at the table.

Bet sizing is HARD. Pre-flop our bet is sized to the blinds, or to the previous bet/raise. Post-flop it is sized to the pot (or stacks if someone is getting short/committed).

What is the reason why we are betting?

If we are betting for value, ask ourself, 'what is the largest amount that Villain will call?' This will vary depending on the Villain and also obviously on what he might have. Too large, we fold out, too small we leave money on the table (or allow Villain to improve too cheaply).

If we are betting to bluff, ask ourself, 'what is the smallest amount that will make Villain fold?. Again, this will vary depending on the Villain and what he might have. Too small, we get called, too large and we put too much at risk just in case he actually has it.

Generally, with value we do not want Villain to improve. So if the board is wet, rule of thirds, bet BARE MINIMUM 1/3rd pot as that is the fulcrum between calling or folding with a flush draw or open-ended. Really 40-50% is usually what I go with. If there is more than 1 Villain, I will usually use minimum 60%. Unless we have a full house or better, then we WANT Villain to improve so we can bet smaller if we have reason to believe that Villain overfolds. If the board is dry, we can bet smaller to keep Villain in the hand, maybe even as low as 20%. Betting more than 1/3rd will also help disguise your bluff bets which are rarely 1/3rd or less.

Bluff bets are generally a bit larger and significantly larger when bluffing 2 Villains. Common example is c-bet in position on checked flop. I'm betting 40% against 1 Villain, but 60-75% against 2 checking Villains.

In tiny pots (say 2-5bb) we can often just bet pot on the flop.

Often with bluffs, depending on the spot, we don't really have to disguise the bluff. If we are very certain that Villain has nothing, he can't call even if he knows that it's a bluff, so just slap down 2/3rds-pot to price him out, then watch him grumble, fold and type 'nb'. ; )

Watch the stacks, particularly our own. Know how much we will have behind after the bet. If the pot will be near the same size as our stack if we get called, be prepared to shove or fold on the next street with value or bluff the same. If we don't like the idea of shove/fold on the next street, size down or check. If Villain is getting similarly short we can usually just put him all-in for value or bluff.

Anyone wish to critique/correct me please do. Like I said, I find bet sizing HARD.

First of all why do you even think, you have this particular "issue"? We are not always getting paid, when we bet for value, and we are not always getting folds, when we are bluffing. This is just, how the game of poker works. So just because you have a very strong hand and get no action, does not mean, you did anything wrong.

Its very easy to overthink the game of poker and imagine different "issues", especially in MTTs, where its just the nature of the game, that we lose or win small most of the time and only occationally win one of the big prices. Instead of asking general advice about such "issues", which may or may not be there, I recommend you to share some hands to the hand analysis section.

Start with some of those hands, where you had a big hand and did not get paid, and then let us look at your bet sizing, the board texture and so on and so forth. There are certain situations, where its better to slowplay, but they are much less common, than you might think. And often times if you are considering to check as a slowplay, you could also elect to bet small instead.