The (2 + 1)-dimensional Zakharov equations arising from the propagation of a laser beam in a plasma are studied in this paper. Analytic soliton solutions are obtained by means of the symbolic computation, based on which we find that vertical bar E vertical bar is inversely related to omega(pe), but positively related to m(i) and c(s), while n is inversely related to cope and cob but positively related to no, with E as the envelope of the high-frequency electric field, n as the plasma density, while omega(e), omega(L) n(0), m(i) and c(s) as the plasma electronic frequency, frequency of the laser beam, mean density of the plasma, mass of an ion and ion-sound velocity in the plasma, respectively. Head-on interaction is found to be transformed into an overtaking one with omega(pe) increasing or n(o) decreasing. Also, period of the bound-state interaction decreases with omega(L) decreasing. Considering the driving forces in the laser-induced plasma, we explore the associated chaotic motions as well as the effects of omega(L), omega(pe), K-L, n(0), m(i), c(s), omega(F1) and omega(F2), where K-L is the wave number of the laser beam, omega(F1)., and cope represent the frequencies of driving forces, respectively. It is found that the chaotic motions can be weakened with omega(pe), c(s) and omega(F1), increasing, or with n(0), m(i) and omega(F2), decreasing, and the periodic motion can occur when cope reaches the critical value 2 pi, while the chaotic motions are independent of omega(L), and K-L. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.