I haven't played for ages, really miss the game. There are variations in the rules depending on which version you're playing, but ultimately it's about getting lots of three cards. I play the Canton version, or Which the old Hong Kong as the wiki link calls it. It's what most people in Hong Kong play. The Taiwanese version is also a popular one but there's an awful lot of rules and the stakes, and the points you can win in game can be very high. Even within China, I understand different provinces have their own rules.
Damn!! I miss playing!!!
That's crazy. I have a feeling the American version is probably very simplified so that people can understand it better. It is still quite involved from what I remember though. It's cool to hear just how many different variations there are. I was betting on the fact that most people over here don't know it beyond the tile matching computer game!