Numbers game

During one of my tours to Canada, I came across a very interesting game participated by two players. A group of match sticks is placed on the table and then it is reduced in turn by each player by removing from the group at least one but not more than four match sticks. The player who takes the last match stick is the winner. If there is a group of seventeen match sticks on the table how would you make your first move, if it was your turn and how would you continue to play to win?