HAND LIMITATIONS AND FLEXIBILITY (Article 65)  

Commentary: The text in the parentheses describes flexibility or limitation. Here are some examples:

• When the phrase “any wind, any dragon, any number” for a hand and it’s shown in one color, the dragon does not need to correspond to the number tile suit.
• When the phrase “any run” is in the parentheses for a hand, you can start the sequence with any number 1-9.
• When the phrase “any like kong” is in the parentheses for a hand, it means that the kongs (four of a kind) must be the same number in different suits.
• When the phrase “these numbers only” is in the parentheses for a hand, the numbers are to be taken at face value.

In other words, unless the text in the parenthesis provides substitutions, the hand must be completed as shown on the card.

Question from a player:  What does “any like kongs” mean?  
 
Answer from the NMJL:  “YES.  The Kongs must be played with matching numbers. They must be 1’s, 2’s or 8’s in the 2018 hand and must be 3’s, 6’s or 9’s i n the 369 hand.”  

Source:   National Mah Jongg League Website FAQ 2019 

Source for other answers: National Mah Jongg League Bulletin Q&A (1983 page 4, 1984, 1985, 1987 page 4, 1990 page 5, 1993 page 12, 2005, 2019)