Lawrence Gonzi plays chess with his Cabinet colleagues. He considers them as pawns to be used when and should the need arise.
Consider Labour’s motion of no confidence in then Interior Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. Government had an alternative motion presented by PN maverick backbencher Franco Debono. Labour’s motion criticised government on policy and performance and concluded by censoring the Minister. Debono’s motion was heavily critical of government policy and performance but did not spell out anything specific on the Minister.
If Lawrence Gonzi was after calming the waters he would have selected Debono’s motion to be discussed first in Parliament. Instead he specifically opted for Labour’s motion. He sacrificied his Minister unnecessarily presumably to gain some sympathy from supporters!
Tonio Borg is also being used by Lawrence Gonzi. Tonio Borg was nominated as EU Commissioner designate in order to vacate his post as Deputy Leader of the PN. As amply pointed out in most of the press his choice is the worst possible. His actions and utterances on civil rights and immigration are not only anachronistic, they are unacceptable in a modern democratic society. He has a lot to explain.
And to crown it all there is now the Kazakh inquiry.
Gonzi plays chess with his Ministers. They are his pawns. He uses them as part of his political gambits.
Blog ta' Carmel Cacopardo 
Your analogy to chess is an interesting one BUT for an effective chess move it has to be subtle and not obvious in such a manner that your opponent does not see through it and anticipate it. I doubt whether this is the case here.
As an avid chess player and former national champion (1988) some famous chess strategems::
“1. When losing try to complicate the position as much as possible to muddy the waters to induce your opponent into making a mistake.”
2. Attack is the best form of defence
3. The good chess player is always lucky (you have to work hard by creating opportunities – many a times you have to earn your luck.
4. A Bobby Fisher once said ‘ I like to see my opponent’s ego crumbling.
When a STRATEGEM is too obvious and transparent it is not effective. Having a consistent plan meticulously planned and sprung upon an unsuspecting opponent is always the more EFFECTIVE strategy.
That is as regards to CHESS …. now you can extrapolate that to politics.