There is an Internet Backgammon that comes standard with the Windows XP operating system. Don't bother playing online in real time on it because:

1. Nothing to stop droppers. Their favorite trick is to let you make the first roll and only roll their die if you roll less than a three. If you roll high then they quit the game before the opening roll is completed! Also, they drop out whenever they think it is all over. There is no rating system but it is surprisingly unsatisfying to not be able to roll it out.

2.The competition is poor. There are three calibers of player: Expert, Intermediate and Beginner. However, you define what kind of player you are so shall we say the Experts are only experts if you spell the word expert: B-E-G-I-N-N-E-R.

3. The graphics are nothing special.

4. There is only one mode: matchplay, a 3 pointer.

MSN used to have one of the biggest and best backgammon communities till they disbanded the gaming zone. A lot of the play sites are full of people like this, sore losers who get all worked up over a game and leave the table anytime they are losing.

If you are looking for a play site with decent competition and friendly people I'd recommend either safe harbour games or World gaming center. Their rated rooms are pretty active and there are some very good players there as well.

You can also save the game logs on both sites and import them into GNU to analyze your play against something other than a bot.

Despite my own advice, I still play here on occasion. But they are bad. So bad.

Mistakes I have seen:
extreme passive play; passing up shots to clear up blots when behind, refusing to slot when appropriate, refusal to split back men where appropriate, etc.

smoothing distribution when bearing off (can be correct but only rarely and only experts like Robertie et al know the exceptions)

leaving unnecessary shots when bearing in whilst way ahead in the race

But the biggest was: with the match score 2-1 in my favor I offered to resign. I had failed to get any men off and could not with my next roll so I offered to resign with the cube at one. This was no angle. I should have offered to resign with the cube at two so he can claim the gammon but had simply forgotten to make the appropriate click. He accepts! We are now 2-2 instead of him winning the match outright (only three-pointers can be played at this "site"). Of course, he wins the next game. That's poker. lol.