This game I just had is a great example of just how amazing Scrying Pool can be in getting key cards like Minion that you need throughout the game into your hand. I don't think I would've won had I not gotten that final Minion to do the deck cycling necessary to facilitate that final Province buy for the victory:
http://www.gokosalvager.com/static/logprettifier.html?/20140829/log.516d5a9fe4b082c74d7bbb9c.1409373427586.txt
Yes, swindler/potion is correct opening but here scrying pool is key card and minion simply isn't. With swindler on board a dedicated scrying pool engine will crush minion one simply because each turn 5 pools find opponents minion and swindle it into duchy.
Also for swindler you should always give worst card possible, which on 5 is almost always duchy until you got to greening phase. Giving early trading post was worse than if you keep that minion as here both minion and scrying pool want thin decks(In general never give trasher with swindler unless its vineyard->transmute case). You should get trading post on first 5.
So try this again versus bots when you
1. Open swindler/potion
2. Prefer scrying pool over minion.
3. Get trading post on first 5
4. Then on 3 alternate between swindlers and shanty towns, caravan on 4, minion on 5
5. Until endgame 5->duchy, 4->scout, 3->shanty town unless opponent goes pools and use pools to try find 5
That should be lot better and win in 17 turns not in 24 unless opponent has swindle luck like turn 3 potion into scout.